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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26168683">switching places</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireflywitch/pseuds/fireflywitch'>fireflywitch</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>switching places [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Fix-It, Freaky Friday but its One Piece, Gen, I Love My Dumb Swordsman Son, Nakamaship, Time Travel, so much time travel, some spoilers through Wano</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:15:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>115,436</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26168683</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fireflywitch/pseuds/fireflywitch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoro is 21 and wakes up in a desert they already saved, on a ship that they burned two years ago, and standing next to a man who is supposed to be dead. Except, that can’t be right, can it?</p><p>Zoro is 19 and wakes up on a ship that’s too big, next to a robot wearing a swimsuit, and he’s supposed to fight something called a Kaido. Also, he’s missing an eye, and no one’s even a little worried about it? </p><p>(or)</p><p>Time travel is a shitshow, and Zoro didn't sign up for this.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>switching places [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2261675</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>958</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>855</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The Last Rec List, Time Travel and World Travel</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Big thanks to all my dear pirate friends who helped make this happen :) Thanks for thinking I'm funny!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zoro woke up. The sun was warm, no—<em>hot</em>, and beating down with a ferocity almost like the burning half of Punk Hazard.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Punk Hazard, what was that?</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>He felt Sunny rock underneath his feet, did he fall asleep standing up? That was strange. Almost as strange as the vivid and sharp image of a lion on the helm, bright as the sun.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Sunny? What was sunny?</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Familiar voices filled the hot air around him. His crew, talking. Voices familiar as his blades. He gripped them out of habit: Wado’s calm certainty, Kitetsu itching for a fight, Enma—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No, that wasn’t right. Yubashiri. Reliable and light. He shook his head, thoughts suddenly piling on top of each other and vanishing just as quickly. Why was he next to a duck?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, Ace, this is the crew I was telling you about!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Relief flooded through him. He’d gotten separated from Luffy, he’d been with Law—no, the marines had run after them, <em>Smoker</em> of all people, and they’d gotten away, and the Whitebeard division commander with the power of the Mera Mera no mi—no, that’s not why Portgas D. Ace was important either—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was right in front of them, a familiar freckled smile. <em>But Ace was dead.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh! Thank you all for taking care of my little brother.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His brother. Of course Luffy was crazy enough to have a brother on the Grand Line, too, a division commander for Whitebeard to boot, a Logia-type—</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>But Ace was dead</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh? Oh, not at all,” said Zoro in unison with the rest of the crew. Including the duck. Why was there a duck?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace grinned at them. “He might be a bit too much for you to handle, but…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Please, continue to take good care of him.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>The rest of the sentence went unsaid but played in Zoro’s head like a Tone-Dial (A what?), and he felt a strange chill. It wasn’t just Ace’s voice either, something more recent (But what could be more recent?), and he didn’t bow with everyone else as they chanted, “No, not at all.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was wondering if he should be a little concerned, but just as quickly as it had come, the sense of déjà vu faded. Ace lit the cook’s cigarette without moving.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I would’ve expected him to be just as reckless as Luffy.”</p>
<p>“No, this sensible man can’t possibly be Luffy’s brother.”</p>
<p>“Brothers can be so wonderful!”</p>
<p>“The sea is full of surprises…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just a guy looking out for his brother…truly heartwarming. So, why did Zoro feel a sense of indiscernible dread? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A light, nervous laugh. “Now, come on everyone—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivi. And the dumb duck was Karoo, weird that he’d forgotten, he’d only just seen them—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Years ago.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>A few minutes ago. Luffy laughed loudly. “See? Aren’t they neat?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Billions ships were after them. He wasn’t very concerned, just a little interested to watch a member of the infamous Whitebeard Pirates at work. Kitetsu wanted to cut a ship. Zoro almost felt like indulging it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fire Fist was a monster in his own right, blowing apart the ships with searing orange flames, and Luffy was chattering endlessly when Ace returned, excited about the Devil Fruit, excited about fighting Crocodile, about his brother being there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tattoo looked good whole. Zoro felt a small chill from the unwelcome thought and gladly accepted one of the mugs of alcohol. Maybe the heat was affecting him more strongly than he thought, which was irritating but could probably be overcome with more training in the desert—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m chasing a certain man,” said Ace, smiling a little indulgently as Luffy asked again if he wanted to join his crew. “His name’s Blackbeard.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Blackbeard?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something itched at Zoro’s skin. Usopp had to remember Blackbeard, didn’t he? Even if none of them talked about him, especially around Luffy. “Y’know, Teach.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro hadn’t even realized he’d said it out loud until he noticed everyone on the ship was looking at him with a confused expression. Including Ace.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You know him?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro shook his head. Because he didn’t. Actually, he was almost certain he’d never heard of Blackbeard before this moment. But he must have, so he shrugged. “Used to be a bounty hunter. Must’ve seen his name somewhere.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rest of the crew seemed to accept that, but Ace was giving him an odd expression, only looking away when Luffy asked why he was going after him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He used to be a member of the second division of the Whitebeard Pirates, one of my men. But he committed the worst possible sin on a pirate ship: he killed a crew member and jumped ship. So, as the commander, I got to find and get rid of him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Blackbeard wasn’t in Alabasta. Zoro knew that with a dizzying certainty, but shouldn’t he try to get Ace to stay? There probably wasn’t any convincing him <em>not</em> to go after Teach—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grimaced, headache back in full force, only one of the thoughts lingering. “He could be somewhere in this country, then?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace nodded slowly. “He could,” he acknowledged. “I had heard a rumor that he was somewhere in Yuba, but—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then your destination is the same as ours!” said Nami. Zoro frowned as he took another drink—had she cut her hair? No, it had always been short.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivi nodded. “We’ve just entered the Sandora River,” she said, pointing at a map. “First, we’ll land at Erumalu, then head into the interior of Alabasta to reach Yuba here. The leader of the rebel army is in Yuba.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I see,” said Ace, and Zoro saw him weighing his options. He hadn’t been planning to stay, Zoro realized. He <em>hadn’t</em> stayed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ll follow Nami-san and Vivi-chan wherever they want to go!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro could sense him wiggling. “Get lost, Love Cook.”</p>
<p>“Say what, you—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Anyway! It looks like we can travel together for a short while!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, his brother is more than welcome here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy laughed and raised his cup. “Let’s have a fun time, Ace!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That must have been what sold him. Ace grinned back, and they all cheered, liquid splashing out. Zoro was next to his captain and the damn duck, and he firmly planted his brain in <em>Alabasta</em>, nowhere else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay, that was easier said than done. Because normally, Zoro was content at letting his instincts do the talking, but his instincts were telling him two different things. The one he was inclined to believe kept saying ‘Alabasta, Alabasta, Alabasta’ over and over, a firm mantra. The other kept looking over at Ace and seeing a bloody corpse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone else seemed normal enough; the cook was in the kitchen grumbling at Luffy and Usopp over playing with their food or not doing dishes correctly or something, the witch was in front, map in hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro flipped an invisible coin between meditation and more training, and more training won. Chopper laid down on the deck nearby to watch as Zoro picked up the large weight he’d been using the day before, and he prepared to do some basic swings.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What actually happened was Zoro swung the set of weights with too much force and they made a neat arc over the side of the ship before disappearing into the sea.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper yelped, and Zoro stared at the splash. His arms were aching already, bemoaning the stupidity of throwing something that heavy without warming up first.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well…he needed to get it, didn’t he?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He dove in, hearing Chopper yelp again as he hit the water. It was cool, at least, and oh <em>damn</em> the weight was sinking fast. Still…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grunted and wrapped his arms around it, pulling upward and kicking—<em>why</em> did he have to throw the damn thing—but he made it to the surface and managed to lug the weight onboard, at this point, with a bemused audience.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the hell?” asked Nami blankly as Zoro sat down, sufficiently done with any weight-lifting for the afternoon. “Did it roll off?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He threw it!” said Chopper excitedly. “Is it some new kind of training?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well… “Yep. Training.”</p>
<p>“For <em>what</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro ignored Nami’s screech of indignation and closed his eyes. He must’ve had more adrenaline than he thought or there might have been lingering sweat on the handle.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Nah, you’re just stronger than that now.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>The soreness in his arms begged to differ. Zoro let the sun dry his hair and clothes and centered his breaths. He needed to pull it together.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They docked, something about sending the duck to the palace, and Zoro ended up standing next to Ace on the ship. And underneath everything there was a fine layer of guilt that Zoro couldn’t put his finger on. What could he have to be guilty about? He’d made no promise, had he?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I knew Crocodile was in this country,” said Ace, leaning against the rail. “But a pirate trying to steal a kingdom? Sounds like a bad joke.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A Shichibukai usurping a kingdom? Zoro felt no surprise, but the rather intense feeling of ‘here we go again.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace glanced over at him. “Of course, there could be another reason.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Another reason?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But then the rest of the crew re-boarded, and the cook was moaning about his precious dancer girls having to cover up, and then a bunch of turtle-seals showed up, and Zoro couldn’t help but feel like he’d lived this day before.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was hot. And somehow, Zoro had ended up with the task of dragging Chopper along the sand, Usopp and Luffy’s bitching about the heat annoying and familiar, but Luffy always complained more on hot islands, didn’t he?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wondered if being able to set oneself on fire was also useful for avoiding the heat, as neither Ace nor the cook looked particularly bothered. But, what did the cook have to do with fire?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The image of a burning leg and a yell: “Diable Jambe!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>What was it about blue-wearing blonds from noble families and fire? </em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>But by nightfall, Zoro found himself missing the heat just a little bit. The air had grown cold, but at least he was tired enough to sleep. If Usopp would just <em>shut up</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Chopper, don’t turn big,” he said. “We need your warmth.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then his captain had bounced over, and a small smile tugged at Zoro’s lips. He missed adventures like this, the camping under the stars with all of them together. It felt strangely nostalgic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro closed his eyes and felt himself slide into sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The world was dark and murky and painful, a searing pain in his arm that radiated to his chest, throbbing deeply. It smelled like cigarette smoke and soba noodles.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was something he was missing, something that his brain couldn’t get a grasp on, thoughts blurry and hard to make sense of. Something had gone wrong, which wasn’t surprising, it was them after all, but—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro gasped, something warm and wet spilling out of his mouth. He was nineteen and on Sabaody, he was twenty and his eye burned painfully, he was twenty-one and—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Oi, are you still alive?!”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He really didn’t know when to quit, did he? Getting married, of all the dumbass things—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oiiiiiii, Zooooooooroooo!” A familiar hug that stretched out too long, clinging to him like a monkey on a tree, but he felt a smile grow on his face. Everyone finally on the same island, and what better island than—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sudden pain took his breath away, forcing him into the ground. He gritted his teeth, blood tasting like a stupid ship-for-an-island full of dust and missing shadows and people who’d given up, and he didn’t want to go back, Zoro never liked looking backwards, but here he was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Oi, are you still alive?!”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Yes,’ thought Zoro, pain thudding in his chest. <em>‘Alive.’</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was dirt in his throat. Dirt? The sudden fear of <em>I’vebeenburriedalive</em> flooded Zoro’s brain and he shot up, gasping for air. Not dirt, sand. Which wasn’t much better.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A sandstorm?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook sounded like he’d just woken up, too. Zoro frowned. Had he been having a dream before this? That the cook was in?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Weird.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the hell was that?” Zoro grumbled, coughing up sand. Alabasta. He frowned; the girl with blue hair was missing her duck. <em>Vivi</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Can’t people get some rest?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The answer to that was apparently no fucking way, and Zoro massaged his head trying to separate the bubble of thoughts that kept floating unprompted with reality, which was some birds playing dead and tricking Luffy into stealing their belongings? And now Luffy was lost, and every time Zoro fought to remember a glimpse of his dream he just felt more tired.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ground began to rumble, sand shaking. Before the creature even reared its ugly head, Zoro already decided he hated the desert. A lot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rest of the day was just as monotonous, a perverted camel and something about a Rebel Army, and at first Zoro heard <em>Revolutionary Army</em>, and he saw people he was sure he’d never met on his eyelids, flickering images that vanished whenever Zoro tried to think too clearly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A snarling man with a red facial tattoo. A woman with a cap and goggles. The same blonde-haired man that made Zoro think <em>fire</em> but also regret. Zoro didn’t have many regrets, but the image guilted him anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then the faces left, only to be replaced by the nagging sensation that he had forgotten something very important.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace was leaving.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>You’ll never see him again.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>The sun was brilliant and orange, air still thick with heat with only a light wind that foreshadowed the cold that would come with evening. “Yo, Luffy,” he tossed a folded-up piece of paper. “Always hang on to that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Huh? It’s just a scrap of paper?”</p>
<p>“That scrap of paper will bring us together again, sometime.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro saw the paper, simultaneously saw it burning, and started to feel a migraine coming on. The situation was more than just familiar, it was like he was seeing it for the third or fourth time, and he wanted to vomit, a little bit. What the <em>hell</em> was going on?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace grinned at them. “It’s natural for a big brother to worry about his bungling kid brother,” he said, bowing his head. “I know Luffy’s a bit much to handle, but please continue to take good care of him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt his throat constrict, and all he could taste was bitter failure. Just as when Ace stood on their boat, the words played on repeat in his brain, another voice filling in. And as he walked away, the sunset gleaming with fire, Zoro felt like he needed to warn him, needed to tell him something desperately important, but it wouldn’t come. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fire Fist Ace, huh?” The cook blew out a long stream of cigarette smoke that made Zoro think of sesame and thin noodles. Something about <em>samurai</em>—.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’ll see him again.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure of it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>You’ll never see him again.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>No, Zoro told himself, a resolve settling in his stomach that he didn’t have a name for. I will.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, are pirates always like this?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro glanced up at Chopper as they trudged through the sand. He was a little impressed that he was walking rather than being pulled along, but then, Chopper had always tried to be ‘more of a man’ around Zoro. Less goofing off, doctor and (frequent) patient.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Always? He’d just joined the crew, hadn’t he?</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What do you mean?”</p>
<p>“Climbing up snowy mountains, going across deserts…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, Chopper. Oh, as if that were even the tip of the proverbial iceberg that was being a part of the most insane pirate crew under the most insane captain, where declaring war on the World Government wasn’t even at the top of the list for ridiculous actions undertaken in the name of friendship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just as the thought occurred to him, it was whisked away, and Zoro was just left with a sense of resignation. “Yeah, well, I guess we’re a bit different from other pirates. Since we have a captain like him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I wonder if I boarded the wrong ship…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What a coincidence,” said Zoro, his face slick with sweat. What was wrong with nice, temperate islands with kingdoms that needed saving? Except, no, Dressrosa was <em>much</em> worse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>What was Dressrosa?</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“I was wondering the same thing, a little while ago, too.”</p>
<p>“You’re the oldest member of the crew, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Despite himself, and despite the burning heat, Zoro couldn’t help but smile a little. People liked categories, <em>roles</em>. Neat boxes of what each member’s purpose was, a neat order of when they’d joined with no attention paid to the fact that Luffy hadn’t recruited <em>any</em> of them for any kind of specific purpose.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The talking, transforming reindeer happens to be a world-class doctor? Well, great! The talking skeleton with an afro is the musician he’s been waiting for—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Musician? </em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro sighed. “It’s not like there’s much difference between the older members and the newer ones.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why did you join him?”</p>
<p>“Why do you ask?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ve only just joined the crew,” said Chopper, eyes flickering to the side. “And everyone looks kind of wild and independent. Especially you, Zoro.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s true,” said Zoro. “In my case, things just happened to turn out like this. Or something like that. And the rest of the crew is like me, too. Our true objectives are different from his. We’re all trying to accomplish our own goals.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The words left his mouth, and Zoro’s head went foggy again, not regret in the same way when he saw Portgas D. Ace wave them goodbye, but a different kind of promise, made and broken. Something more important. A different dream.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Someone once said,” Zoro’s voice felt thick but didn’t sound any different coming out. “That from the outside, we don’t appear to have any teamwork. Since everyone is independent from the captain.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Zoro! Swirly-bro! Standby!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Standby?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Pirates Docking Six!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“But…what does teamwork really mean anyway? Is it just about rescuing and protecting each other?” Zoro felt the weight on his side: Wado, Kitetsu, Enma—Yubashiri. “There are people who believe that. But to me, that just sounds like kids playing around.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Oi, Luffy! Pull it together! We’re in the New World now!”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Everyone should what they can with their lives on the line, and then say to the next guy: ‘I did what I could. Now it’s your turn. If you don’t finish it, I’ll kick your ass.’ Isn’t that teamwork? In that case, I think it’s okay to have nakama that are wild and independent.” He shrugged, beads of sweat rolling down his face. “Or, that’s what I think.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Now I understand what Usopp said about me doing the best I can.”</p>
<p>Zoro laughed. “But when he says it, it seems more like a lie, doesn’t it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Beat him!” A tear-filled scream echoing in battle. “Then we’ll all go back together!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>The thoughts were swirling worse than before, and Zoro idly wondered if this is what heatstroke felt like. But he felt a calm certainty in his chest, that in one aspect said, ‘something important’ and on the other hand ‘something <em>more</em> important.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Since we’ve been together so long, another purpose has started to emerge.”</p>
<p>“Another purpose?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy dragged his feet behind them, lethargic and sluggish before suddenly perking up in a way that Zoro knew meant trouble with an emphasis on cursing the Gomu Gomu no mi to hell—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There’s some shade!” Luffy yelled, eyes wide. “Gomu Gomu no ROCKET!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro braced himself for impact, but it was useless. The pain and irritation <em>did </em>help clear his head, though. ‘Alabasta, Alabasta, Alabasta,’ he repeated to himself, after knocking his idiot captain over the head. ‘Alabasta. Vivi, Vivi’s Duck, Rebel Army, Rain, Alabasta.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I quit.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The words didn’t surprise Zoro as much as he thought they would, a grim understanding forming in the pit of his stomach. A long, drawn-out “Huh?” came out of everyone’s mouths. It was understandable; there was a pretty big gap between “Luffy” and “quitting”, mostly to the chagrin of everyone on board.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro thought the awareness settling in his chest would exist with or without the second set of intuition he’d gained out of nowhere. Because even as Usopp dismissed him as having another whim, and even as the cook kneeled down and started berating him, there was one Warlord-sized hole in this (naïve) plan—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If we stop the people rebelling, will that stop Crocodile?”</p>
<p>“That’s—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You want it so nobody dies in this fight,” said Luffy. “None of the citizens and none of us. Even when we’re up against a Warlord and a million people are going wild, you hope everyone will stay safe and sound.” He gave her a level look. “Don’t you think that’s too soft-hearted?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And what’s wrong with that?! What’s wrong with not wanting people to die?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nothing, really. Except, people did die. Sometimes they died for grand, noble reasons, and sometimes they died for no reason at all. Bad luck. Zoro wasn’t really surprised when Vivi hit him and was even less surprised when Luffy hit back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then why are you putting your life on the line?!” he yelled, the veil of laziness completely removed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay, Zoro was a <em>little</em> surprised the cook didn’t jump in immediately and try to protect his precious Vivi-san.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just one look at this kingdom and even I can tell, as if putting your single life on the line is enough!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then what should I be putting on the line?! I don’t….” Luffy finally stopped her arms from flailing and hitting him, and she took a shuddering breath. “I don’t <em>have</em> anything else I can put on the line.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He sat up easily, anger burning in his eyes, and Zoro hadn’t felt this calm since arriving in the stupid desert. “At least try putting all of our lives on the line together! Aren’t we nakama?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Destroying the room of a thief forced to draw map after map for the fishman who’d killed her mother. Asking one of the most dangerous women in the world to want something she’d completely given up on. Running after a stupid cook who, despite being present for both of these events, hadn’t gotten it pounded into his shitty, lovesick brain that attempting to bear a burden alone wasn’t good enough, wasn’t even <em>possible</em>, not if Luffy had anything to say about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The latter two images faded as quickly as they appeared, like a dream Zoro had forgotten about, leaving him just with a profound sense of readiness. Like they were going to leave without a fight <em>anyway</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivi was crying. Luffy had that effect on people.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They had a room to sleep in for the night, which was a welcome change. Zoro’s eyes remained open, even as he felt exhaustion creep over him and even as he felt the strange pinpricks of the crew around him, like little blinking lights in tune with their heartbeats.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Had he always been able to sense that?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Despite the strangeness of everything that had happened since waking up to Ace’s face on Sunny—<em>Merry, </em>he didn’t feel worried. Not yet. After all, the Grand Line was a strange place, and he’d always relied on intuition anyway, maybe having more intuition was actually a good thing. Even if his thoughts were telling him different things.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivi had listened. It was always good when the princess listened.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Always?</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sleep gradually took hold of him, the thought making him frown. It wasn’t just that Alabasta was familiar, that was almost a given at this point, it was everything about it: a Shichibukai, a royal family, a nation of people who kept misunderstanding, a <em>brother</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro closed his eyes and Alabasta vanished, the sand replaced by stone buildings and the dulling smell of wildflowers mixed with sweat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Everything was a shit-show, but everything was always a shit-show, and he felt the cool pulse of being alive inch through his veins, slowly easing the tension as Luffy slept, the gouged scar on his chest moving with every breath. If Luffy was here, and if Luffy slept, then everything else could wait.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>The man in the spotted hat had lied to them, or somehow managed to forget several key details, but they were alive. Zoro wasn’t sure if the spotted hat man was prepared for that possibility or not. He was stupid, if he thought he could get away with dying. Not if Luffy had anything to say about it.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Another room, this one cooler, a point in this damn island’s favor. One single point.</em> <em>The blond man was there, just an arm’s length away.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Alright,” He smiled at them, and Zoro could smell rather than see the two other people beside him. A familiar floral perfume and cola. </em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Luffy might be a bit much for you to handle, but take good care of him.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“Oi! Marimo!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Zoro laughed, and the regret didn’t sting. </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shishishishi, Zoro’s lazy!”</p>
<p>“Like you’re one to talk!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro blinked awake and felt consciousness seep through him, beginning to chase away the dream again before he could remember what it was about. Gritting his teeth, Zoro closed his eyes, ignoring Luffy’s yells about breakfast, and tried to bring the image back. The blond man, smiling at them, half his face badly burned. Dammit, he needed a <em>sketch pad</em> or something, as he sat, continuing to get more frustrated, alone in the room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Blond man, fond smile, burn scar, <em>top hat</em>, long coat, <em>tip of his tongue</em>, a mis-spelled tattoo that suddenly made much more sense, fire—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Please, continue to take good care of him.”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sabo,” said Zoro aloud, the dream surpassing thought and classifying itself as a <em>memory</em>, strong as anything Zoro remembered in his life. It wasn’t a dream at all. He felt a strange itch on his hands, but this time the man didn’t quickly fade away. Because he was finally remembering something.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Finally?</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Luffy had another brother. And it was impossible that Zoro knew that with such certainty. Totally, Grand Line bullshit aside, impossible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sabo.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Roronoa!” Smoker spat out. “Why did you save my life?!”</p>
<p>He knew the others were watching, probably wondering the same thing. Hell, he’d been doubtful, the first time it happened. </p>
<p>The first time?</p>
<p>“Just following the captain’s orders,” he said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And wasn’t it?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>‘Sabo’ stayed with him, and Zoro officially had no fucking idea what was going on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He contemplated asking one of the others, but how could he even word the question? ‘So, I think I have two sets of thoughts that also feel like memories, any ideas?’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It sounded stupid in his head. Besides, there wasn’t anyone on the crew who he could ask vague questions like that too. Except, dammit, the second set of thoughts was insisting very clearly that there <em>was</em>, and if he could just ask Ro—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The name vanished before Zoro could grab it, and he groaned in frustration.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, Sabo. His brain unhelpfully did not supply him with anything else. If he let his mind wander, Zoro was almost able to catch sight of a blurry face, but every time he tried to concentrate, it would vanish. But he knew it was a person. A real person. And something stopped him from asking aloud if anyone recognized the name.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On a related note…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro sighed loudly as they ran through the streets of Rainbase, marines yelling after them. Did Smoker and Tashigi have fucking tracking devices on them? A familiar yell of <em>“I’m going to beat up Crocodile!”</em> rang through the air, and Zoro sighed again. Or, maybe it was just that Smoker was the first person who was able to predict their unpredictability.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But, here he was, facing down Tashigi, feeling the same irritation bubble up in his throat. Her stupid familiar face with the stupid short hair, it was better when she had the <em>long</em> hair, because then it wasn’t so—hold on, <em>had</em> she had long hair?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Roronoa Zoro—”</p>
<p>“Nope!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her flabbergasted expression would’ve been funnier if she didn’t immediately start charging him with a sword, but Zoro definitely didn’t plan on dying by <em>her</em> hands, and anyway, he had a dumbass captain to locate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“CROCODILE!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wasn’t this supposed to be an infiltration? Not that Zoro cared much about sneak attacks, but this was possibly the worst one they’d ever committed. Especially because goddam <em>Smoker</em> was still running after him, Nami and Usopp were shrieking, and Vivi, the cook, and Chopper were nowhere to be found.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“CROCODILE! COME OUT!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s not going to make him come out!” Nami’s expression looked pained, even being inside the casino. Probably a battle waging in her head about the potential riches compared with the more likely potential of capture or death.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp looked behind them groaned. “Why is <em>Smoker</em> here?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think he has a crush on Luffy,” said Zoro, feeling remarkably calm despite the imminence of capture.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wait.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mister, we must ask you to leave—”</p>
<p>Luffy charged through the three guards who’d appeared, sending them flying. He blinked owlishly and turned back to them. “Did I just run into something?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well, he was a moron, but he was <em>their</em> moron, and Zoro found himself chuckling even as they ran towards the VIP room. Jeez, they really just were going for it, weren’t they? And Smoker was <em>still</em> following them?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The path splits up!”</p>
<p>“VIP, go VIP!”</p>
<p>“No, we’re pirates!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And in a twist he might have seen coming even if this whole thing didn’t feel like an enormously drawn out déjà vu, the floor opened up beneath them and they all fell into darkness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro let out a long breath and looked around at the cage they were stuck in. Seastone, which was unfortunate. He couldn’t cut seastone—or was this even fully made of seastone? It looked more like a partial covering.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro flicked the thought away. There was something else stopping him from just taking Wado, which he’d so kindly been left with, and slicing through the bars.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A clever trap,” said Luffy sagely.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” agreed Usopp. “It wasn’t our fault.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami looked incensed. “We could have avoided it! You did exactly what the enemy wanted! I can’t believe you’re so stupid!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro leaned back against the cage, completely uninterested in the spectacle. Smoker was leaning his weapon into Luffy’s chest—oh, it must be made of the stuff, too, as Usopp and Nami start panicking more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What have you done to Luffy?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s seastone,” said Zoro, rolling his eyes. Honestly, wasn’t Nami supposed to be the one who knew things like that. “You know, sea in solid form? Affects Devil’s Fruit users? We’ve only seen it a hundred times.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Smoker closed his mouth, evidently having been about to say something similar. Nami just stared at him. “What are you talking about?! I’ve never even heard of this stuff!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The Marines use it all the time. Wouldn’t this guy—” Zoro gestured to Smoker. “Be out of here otherwise?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That doesn’t explain how <em>you</em> know about it!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was about to snap back but then realized <em>oh</em>, this was probably another thought-that-was-his-but-not-<em>his</em>, wasn’t it. Ah, damn. He thought he’d been good about separating the two, but apparently not. The idea sent a small shiver down his spine; if <em>seastone</em> had snuck in as something he knew without having debate whether he actually knew it or not—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi oi, look, what use is fighting going to be?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Precisely,” the voice came from outside of the cage, low and threatening. Zoro barely gave it a glance, continuing to lean against the walls. “You’re going to die soon, so why not get along first?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The most irritating thing, really, was Smoker’s surprise that Crocodile <em>wasn’t</em> involved in something supervillain worthy. Zoro still didn’t understand why the World Government put up with it—not with the amount of trouble the Shichibukai were. Not with the sheer level of trouble they caused <em>him</em> specifically.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Didn’t the government do something about that?</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s fingers felt cold, the same distant fear he’d felt in his dream coming back a little stronger, creeping up his arm. Crocodile? No, he wasn’t afraid of Crocodile. Sand was a dumbass Devil Fruit—wait, shit, <em>how</em> did he know—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘No,’ Zoro told himself firmly. If he was going to waste time questioning the things he seemingly knew, it wouldn’t be useful at all. If his brain was telling him Crocodile = Sand but also Crocodile = Not Actually That Dangerous, he just had to believe it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, he attempted to settle in for a nap, or at least a brief meditation, but apparently that was unacceptable to the sea witch, who was yelling. That was something his thoughts could at least agree on; Nami was always <em>yelling</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Deep breaths in and out. Nami stopped yelling at him, someone had come in, and Zoro cracked an eye open lazily to see Vivi. He wasn’t surprised, not with all the guest-of-honor nonsense Crocodile had been hinting at, but when he saw the person <em>behind</em> Vivi…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Relief. He was relieved. A thick, heavy weight left his shoulders, making him feel so much lighter. How could he have not noticed? How could he have <em>forgotten</em>?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Half his thoughts screamed ‘forgotten <em>what</em>’, but the other half was so relieved. She was okay. Robin was okay.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then the other half of thoughts quieted, Robin becoming just as sure and certain as anything, even more than the name Sabo. Robin was safe, or as safe as anyone could be close to Crocodile, and even better, Robin would be coming home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy and the others didn’t pay her much attention, instead watching Crocodile cackle loudly about some plan that invariably they’d put a stop too. It was almost cute, these maniacs who underestimated Luffy and got the shit beaten out of them. Zoro was looking forward to it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He leaned back, tuning out Crocodile’s plot and watching Robin instead. She had some dumb codename that he couldn’t remember, much like “Mr.0” had completely exited his brain. He also forgot about the cowgirl outfit which was…a weird look on her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She noticed him looking over and barely gave him a cursory glance, instead watching Crocodile drop the key to their cell into the bananawani-infested waters below. The coy smile she had before was gone now, replaced with something like boredom.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>She was an enemy.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She was nakama. </em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro sighed again, feeling his head start to pound again. When was the shit-cook going to show up so they could get on with it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wait…his eyes narrowed. He was waiting on the <em>cook</em> to save them? Injustice boiled up inside of him, only calmed by the thought that at least he could keep napping if he wanted to. Nami didn’t seem to be paying much attention to him, assuming probably that he wasn’t able to cut through seastone. Which…could he cut through a seastone alloy? He couldn’t remember.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Crocodile laughed like the dramatic moron he was, and Usopp started hyperventilating.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Vivi! You have to do something! I don’t want just an hour left to live—”</p>
<p>“Quit panicking.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp turned on him. “Are you crazy, Zoro?! How can I not freak out at a time like this?! We’re going to die if we don’t get out of here!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro considered that. Even if they did get out of the cage, Crocodile was still there, so they might as well wait until he left them to their deaths to try. But, on the other hand, Vivi was about to be eaten by an enormous alligator with a banana growing out of its head that just took an enormous bite out of literal stone. So, that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A phone rang.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone got quiet as Robin took a transponder snail from her coat pocket. “What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Moshi Moshi? Moshi Moshi? Can you hear me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The voice was irritatingly familiar and Zoro let out an annoyed grunt, even as the others took longer to recognize. The Shitty Restaurant, for fuck’s sake. Luffy took in a deep breath to yell “SAN—" and Usopp furiously covered his mouth with his hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Who are you supposed to be?”</p>
<p>“Me? I’m…” The cook’s voice dropped dramatically and Zoro fought the urge to hit him when he came back. Maybe he would, just for old time’s sake. “Mr. Prince.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mr. Fucking Prince.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A gunshot sounded, and Zoro still felt eerily calm, more annoyed by the <em>Prince </em>character than anything else. Although, it was funny in retrospect. The cook did so much to hide who his stupid family was, but he still—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s thoughts halted in the direction they were marching along. What did he know about his family? Nothing, apparently, except for a weird pit of irritation. Mr. Prince. This whole situation was getting out of hand, and Zoro once again idly wondered if he should just try to slice the cage open.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>More surprising, honestly, was how calm Smoker seemed to be taking everything, especially considering he was in a cage with three pirates shrieking at the princess of Alabasta. And considering that the glass windows shattered, and water began to fill the already treacherous room. Then again, Smoker always put up with bullshit well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How can you be so calm?!” Nami turned on Zoro, eye twitching. “You haven’t done anything this entire time!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The cook’s coming, isn’t he?”</p>
<p>“Sanji-kun?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro rolled his eyes. “Yes, that cook. What, you don’t really think he got shot by some low-level cannon fodder, do you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami blinked a few times. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about him.”</p>
<p>“I wasn’t saying it to be <em>nice</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“COME AND GET ME YOU STUPID BANANA! STUPID BANANA!”</p>
<p>“I told you! It’s basically an alligator! With a banana on its head!”</p>
<p>“What?! Who cares! They’re both food, aren’t they?!”</p>
<p>“STOP TOUCHING THE BARS!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro let out a low chuckle despite himself. He was standing now, stupid <em>Smoker</em> in the one part of the cell not submerged in water yet. Damn Logias. “How much do you know?” Smoker asked gruffly, eyeing Zoro in particular. “What is Crocodile after? That woman who was at his side…She’s had a price on her head for twenty years. I believe it was about 70,000,000.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Smoker looked at them all with a level gaze now. “This moves beyond a simple coup. This has implications for the entire world.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t need any reason like that to kick Crocodile’s ass!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I see,” said Smoker, closing his eyes. “Then, how do we plan on getting out of here?”</p>
<p>“AHHH!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro stretched his arms, yawning as he did so. The cook really was taking his time—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>An Usopp screech of, “Why do you look so relaxed?!” was thrown in his direction, accompanied by his attempt to lift Luffy’s sea-relaxed head away from the water, when suddenly Zoro sensed it before hearing or seeing. He <em>had</em> to have a dramatic entrance, didn’t he?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Try as hard as you can not to make any noise at mealtime,” said the cook, before the bananawani went flying, coughing out cement and landing with an enormous thud on the ground. “Been…waiting long?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“IT’S MR. PRINCE!” cheered Luffy and Usopp, thrashing back and forth as Nami sighed “Thank goodness.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stop being dramatic and get the key already,” said Zoro, rolling his eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nami-san~! Do you love me now!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, I’m in love, now hurry and open this up!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s really an idiot, huh?” said Zoro, definitely <em>not</em> fondly at all, and Nami gave him an amused look back. “What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You were the one who was so sure he’d come.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s not—” Zoro grunted and turned away. “Love cook! Don’t waste your time on all of them! It’s the third one who just came in.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh?! How do you know that?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, Zoro didn’t exactly have a good answer for Usopp and Luffy’s exclamation, but Smoker was nodding slowly. “He’s right,” he said, sounding annoyed about it. “Can’t you tell? The growl is the same.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy absolutely couldn’t tell, but the cook at least believed them and aimed a slicing kick towards the banana-gator in question, and a white ball flew out of its mouth. Which only got stranger by a man crawling out of said-white ball, throwing his arms up in triumph. “Water! A miracle!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Neither of Zoro’s lines of thought deemed him as being important, although he did feel a phantom brush of pain around his ankles. “It’s Three!” yelled Luffy. “Three!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s Mr. 3 doing in the belly of the bananawani?!”</p>
<p>“I thought I was dead!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, everyone in Baroque Works was still a dumbass, Luffy, Nami, and Usopp were panicking even louder, and Zoro was itching to fight someone. Kitetsu loudly agreed. “It’s probably not even the right key,” he said, as the yelling intensified. “Crocodile can’t be <em>that</em> stupid.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“When did you get so perceptive?” muttered Nami, before turning to the cook. “Sanji-kun, there’s not enough time!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait!” said Usopp suddenly. “Can’t he use his wax powers to make a key?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After some persuading, Mr. 3 opened the cage and the cook sent him flying again before extending an arm. “Let’s get moving. There’s not much time.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>This</em> was what he was looking for. Well, preferably a more challenging opponent, but they hadn’t seen any action in Alabasta so far, and Kitetsu was hungry. He could tell Luffy was itching to fight too, and Zoro was a little disappointed that there weren’t anymore. “IS THAT ALL?!” Luffy yelled. “WHERE’S THE REST?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then, predictably, the walls around them began to crumble, because things could never be too easy, and even before the wave crashed over them, Zoro didn’t have to look over at Luffy to know exactly what he wanted him to do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was annoying, swimming while carrying a Devil Fruit user, and it didn’t help that Smoker was much bigger than Luffy, but Zoro had just recently carried a dumbbell out of the ocean. Huh, maybe it wasn’t a bad training idea.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He breached the surface and gasped for breath. “Wha—Smoker?! Oi, oi, Zoro, what are you bringing the enemy along for?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Back off,” said Zoro, without too much malice. “It’s not like I wanted to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Smoker was coughing, served the cigar smoking bastard right, and as the love cook continued to swoon, Zoro felt rather than saw the long jitte rush towards him. He blocked it easily and stared him down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Roronoa!” Smoker spat out. “Why did you save my life?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He knew the others were watching, probably wondering the same thing. Hell, he’d been doubtful, the first time it happened.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The first time?</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“Just following the captain’s orders,” he said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And wasn’t it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro could tell Smoker was having a mild aneurysm, caught between two stupidly rigid sets of morals, especially as Luffy came to and started swinging rubber fists, and he knew it caused the marine physical pain to spit out “Go.” Not that Luffy even expected anything in return. That definitely added to the pain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He couldn’t help but laugh. Smoker would never forgive them for this, and he was probably going to have a heart attack after Luffy added “You’re not that bad!” with one of his shit-eating grins, and Zoro swore he saw Smoker blush as they ran away, purportedly towards Alubarna.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>I’ve missed this.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>The thought struck him without as much force, just a nudge as they ran down the streets like a group of walking-disasters, and even though there were people missing, important people, and even though he didn’t feel as strong as he should, Zoro missed this. The world wasn’t ending, not yet anyway, there weren’t any—</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Alliances, Yonkos, Traitors</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He swallowed, a strange and anxious feeling settling over him as they ran. The words left his mind as soon as they entered, but the nerves that came with them didn’t, as they ran he resolved again to figure this out. After they saved a(nother) princess, of course.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t impressed. He was tired and very much unimpressed, and these two morons in front of him were acting like they were some insurmountable barrier, which would’ve been very funny if he had the energy to laugh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why did everything have to be <em>such</em> a clusterfuck?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Getting across the damn desert, getting split up, now stationed in some part of the city that was fighting for no reason with Nami cheering behind him, and all Zoro wanted was an excess of alcohol and a long nap.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Still better than Dressrosa</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And he wanted to sort out this whole “two lines of thought” thing before it got any worse, and without anyone to tell him otherwise, he figured sake and sleep would be great cures for that, too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go Zoro! What are you waiting for?! Pound ‘em!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Except…Zoro frowned. He hadn’t fought two of these dipshits, had he? The woman wasn’t familiar, and even the man had only a shadowy form of familiarity, something like a lesson learned and a barrier surpassed. But the woman…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They walked past him, which he found annoying but not surprising for some reason (or, maybe the same reason hardly anything was surprising him). The lines of thought dueled momentarily:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fight them both.</p>
<p><em>Let Nami do this</em>.</p>
<p>I could protect her.</p>
<p><em>She needs to do this</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro frowned. What good was he if he couldn’t protect his crew? <em>What good is it if you don’t let them get stronger</em>?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“W-wait a second, I don’t…” Nami’s face faltered. “I’m a noncombatant!”</p>
<p>“Exactly as we said,” said the woman, her hips swaying absurdly. “Weaker targets are always eliminated first.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro thought of Nami, always-hitting, loud-as-hell Nami, and grudgingly realized what the nagging voice in his head was saying. Sometimes there wouldn’t be anyone there to protect her, and she would have to fight. He knew how she felt, he knew how Usopp felt, and even as she ran away yelling, Zoro knew she had much more courage than she believed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Probably.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No, he needed to have some faith in his crewmates. And he needed to focus on the fight ahead of him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro searched his thoughts for Mr. 1. He wasn’t worried, but there was some grudging respect. Not for strength, exactly, but for allowing him to grow stronger. A challenging fight that felt like a lifetime earlier but also was about to happen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So then, Zoro considered, as he reflexively drew his sword. The question of the hour seemed to be if he still had that strength or not. And what better time, Zoro grinned, to figure that out than right <em>now</em>?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, your body is hard as steel,” stated Zoro, tying his bandana around his head. Either he’d be able to cut…or he wouldn’t. “I sympathize with you,” he said, throwing off his cloak. “I’ve been looking for something difficult.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kitetsu roared in agreement, more boisterous than usual. Zoro hadn’t had a real fight since waking up on the ship, and he needed to know what he still had.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>What skills had come with him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Instead of blinking the thought away, Zoro allowed it to grow stronger, letting go of reason and logic and embracing the instinct that belonged to him and someone else at the same time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Which was hard. Zoro was an instinctual fighter, sure, but he was acutely aware of his own, sharp instincts screaming that he <em>couldn’t</em> cut steel, and he couldn’t. Every clash between them was futile, Zoro was bleeding somewhere or in multiple places, and he needed to <em>pull it together.</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Out of breath, he panted, blood obscuring his vision slightly. It fell into his left eye as he blinked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Every sword could become the black blade.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Black blade?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Until you master it, no drinking.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p><em>“To cut nothing</em>,” Zoro’s breathing was labored, his ribs clenching in pain. “<em>is to know that breath?”</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro closed his left eye, allowing the partial darkness to flood over him and with it—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could hear it. Not just the breath of the steel but the flickers around him, pulses of light, hearts beating life. What had that false god called it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was more blood outside of him than there should’ve been, but it didn’t matter. Zoro smiled, tasting iron and salt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t believe you can take my attacks using just one sword.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It doesn’t matter,” said Zoro. “I won’t take them anymore.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His opponent thought that meant he was giving up. Zoro scoffed at the idea and closed his other eye, feeling the heart of the steel man as if it were his own, felt him decide to rush forward, heard the breath—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Kenbunshoku.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wado trembled and darkened to black, a re-learned lesson. “Lion’s Song!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Busoshoku.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The haki-coated blade sliced Daz Bonez, and blood gushed out as he screamed, falling to the ground as Zoro felt a calm certainty return to him finally, even as his chest burned. <em>Haki</em> did not run out of his brain; it stayed and said “lessons learned” and “stronger”, and Zoro looked at the black blade with grim determination.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’d won this battle, but Luffy still needed to defeat Crocodile. Nami had to be around here somewhere, didn’t she? Zoro had the strangest urge to climb up a clock tower.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, Zoro had ended up in a weird jungle and the palace was <em>much</em> further away than it was supposed to be, as the red tongue of smoke shot up into the sky. It had to be Usopp’s signal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The flickering Observation Haki he’d been able to access earlier had faded as his chest and arms ached, still scabbing over and bleeding if he moved too quickly. And for some goddam reason, no one was ever where they were supposed to be.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Which way was it?” muttered Zoro, running along a side street. His brain still insisted ‘clock tower’, but said tower kept changing position, and it wasn’t like Vivi had actually <em>said</em> clock tower—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Look! It’s Roronoa Zoro!”</p>
<p>“Shit, Marines?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He prepared to draw his sword, annoyed by the interruption, when they gave him almost bemused looks. “What are you doing over here?” One asked, lowering his gun. “We knew you weren’t good with directions, but this is worse than we expected!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of all the <em>nerve</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go back!” Another one pointed. “If you go north at the last corner, you can get into the Square!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go back and turn right! Not this way!”</p>
<p>“Are you stupid?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stupid?! Zoro gritted his teeth, close to just cutting through them anyway, but they were on some kind of bomb-related schedule, so he ran.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>North? Ah, so he <em>was</em> right about the clock tower! After all, that was the tallest building, wasn’t it? He just had to go as far up as possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Why</em>, exactly, were they all so surprised? He’d climbed the damn thing, hadn’t he? “Hey, I looked all over for you guys!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro! You too?!”</p>
<p>“What’re you doing there?”</p>
<p>“That’s what I’m asking!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro sighed. Weren’t they in a <em>hurry</em>?! “Well, the Marines kept saying ‘go north, go north’, so I came up here!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“North and up are completely different!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then why the <em>hell</em> was the shitty cook there, too?! Zoro opened his mouth to yell back at him when the face of the clock creaked open, and Zoro had seen some ugly fuckers but <em>these</em> two might take the cake. Did Crocodile just happen to stumble upon some wanna-be-assassin with seven-shaped eyebrows? Did he shave his eyebrows to look like that?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And that wasn’t even mentioning the weird girl with the frog dress. Somehow they hadn’t noticed him, which was pretty laughable considering how (much) close(r) he’d gotten this time. They were even counting <em>down</em>, what morons.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was shouting at them, something about needing to get to the cannon, which okay <em>obvious</em> at this point, didn’t it have a range of something like five kilometers? Something told him that it wasn’t as easy as getting rid of the Baroque Works assassins, something about a <em>timer</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro moved without questioning it, sliding Wado into his mouth and using Kitetsu and Enma—<em>Yubashiri</em> to scale the outside of the wall. He could hear Usopp and Chopper yelling something, Vivi’s loud shriek above it, but he focused on moving upward.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The leering face of the woman wearing a frog hat stared at him, gun drawn. “Well—” She started, but Zoro wasn’t interested in her and sliced down both easily, their yells carrying as they fell to the sand below. He stepped out the flame on the rope but stared at the ticking bomb with a frown.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just had to get the timing right, he told himself, picking it up. It was heavy, he thought back to throwing the weight off of Sunny—Merry, and maybe that was good training.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A lift from the cook would make this <em>slightly</em> easier, but the fucker was still gaping up at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the <em>hell</em> are you <em>doing</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro ignored him, focusing instead on how high he needed to jump and how much force he needed to swing. Like an extremely high-stakes baseball game. He sheathed Kitetsu and Yubashiri and readied Wado in his left arm, coating the blade in armament haki, right arm holding the bomb.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He jumped.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“MR. BUSHIDO!”</p>
<p>“ZORO!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro blocked the yells out and closed his eyes, hurling the bomb into the air and <em>swinging</em>, enough force to cut a galleon in half, enough force to slice a giant, staying careful to only let the flat edge make <em>impact</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His arm screamed out in pain, disagreeing that he’d obtained this kind of strength—he might have dislocated his shoulder, but the bomb made an arc over the city, getting higher as Zoro fell. It was a good swing, he thought, crashing into the dirt as the bomb <em>exploded</em>, an enormous, blistering white-hot cloud that was still a little too close.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s last thought, as the air forcibly left his lungs and his arm <em>burned</em>, was how much good some fucking rain would do right about now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The world was dark and murky and painful, a searing sharpness in his arm that radiated to his ribs, throbbing deeply with every breath. It smelled like antiseptic and spun sugar.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something was burning, someone was screaming, and the earth was shaking violently, collapsing buildings into ruin. Something had gone wrong, why did it feel like his head was split in two?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro screamed, his muscles stretching <em>too far too far too far</em>, he was going to break, he was going to be ripped in half and there was nothing he could do about it—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“You need to be more careful!” A familiar sniff. “I want to be a doctor who can cure any ailment, but I’m not yet!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>He knew he was scaring their doctor half to death, refused to tell him where the injuries came from, refused to tell him about his eye, such a terrible patient, always bleeding out—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t worry! We’ll get Sanji!” A familiar voice, grinning widely, rubbery arms stretched wide. “See you in—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t worried, why would he be worried about that dumb cook <em>anyway</em>, but then he was kneeling in wet grass, unable to move, paralyzed with an awful pain that didn’t belong to him, screams yelling his name, the smell of searing ozone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“The bandages are there to make sure you </em>don’t<em> move!”</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro wanted to apologize, for always being injured, for slowing them down, but his lips felt numb and stiff, and the pain flared again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shitty marimo,” he heard, something cold falling on his face. “Couldn’t have passed out <em>after</em> all of this was over?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“’M awake.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re <em>not</em>,” Zoro cracked an eye open and saw an orange blur. “You could’ve gotten yourself killed, you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Didn’t.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>An exasperated sigh. “We still need to find Luffy,” said Nami, and Zoro forced himself to sit up, his shoulder <em>definitely </em>dislocated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But they were all in bad shape, bleeding and bruised and Usopp wrapped in so many bandages he looked like a mummy. And Luffy was bound to be worse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s raining,” said Chopper, looking past their collective injuries and up at the sky. “That means it’s over, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think so,” said Zoro, feeling once again that strange certainty that yes, it was.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for all the kind reviews and feedback! I really appreciate it :) </p>
<p>Up Next: Zoro ignores Chopper's medical advice and starts bullet journaling.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Robin.</p>
<p>Zoro’s arms buckled at the weight of the thought that hit his mind, and he swore, loudly. Shit, that hurt. His arm muscles were definitely mad at him now, but 'Robin' rang in his brain like a loud bell. The woman in his dream with the others, with the familiar amused expression, and the right-hand woman for Baroque Works was…going to join their crew.</p>
<p>Huh. He didn’t see that one coming. But for some reason, it didn’t feel absurd anymore. Just wholly and fully correct.</p>
<p>Zoro put down the rocks and wrote in large letters at the bottom of the page ROBIN and idly wondered what Vivi would have to say about it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luffy was bleeding and draped over someone’s back, which hardly counted as strangest positions Zoro had seen his captain in, and it helped that the man was definitely familiar.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah, thanks for carrying that guy on your back,” said the cook. “He’s one of ours. I’ll take him now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then you’re the pirates that brought Vivi back to this country?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ah, that’s right. The king.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Dad! Everyone!”</p>
<p>“Vivi!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The king of Alabasta, dripping wet with Luffy’s blood staining his robes. They both looked like they’d been buried underground somewhere. “I’d prepared myself to die at one point, but he saved me. When he was completely exhausted after fighting Crocodile, he carried two people and rushed above ground. What incredible strength…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That sounded like Luffy. And speaking of two people…Zoro sighed and slid down a wall. There was still something left… someone they were missing. “Vivi, you should go back to the Square.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The rebellion is over!” Usopp agreed loudly. “It wouldn’t be proper if the king or princess didn’t say a few words.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, then I’ll tell them about you, too—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Vivi-chan, you know how it is,” The cook lit a cigarette and Zoro could <em>feel</em> him trying to look cool. “We’re notorious. We have no intention of getting involved with a country!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Somehow they all managed to wait until Vivi had walked away, somehow they all managed to stay standing until she rounded the corner and they all collapsed, Zoro feeling the heaviness overtake him again, the burning pain in his arm from performing an attack it wasn’t ready for—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Luffy…and everyone…thank you!”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt the warmth bubble in his chest, even with the sheer exhaustion and stiff pain his body was in, even as they stood on a ship that had somehow made it for one, final journey. It was a miracle, but they still hadn’t escaped yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Smiles all around, the loosening of grips, Luffy chuckling “<em>Don’t mention it”</em> lying nearly paralyzed on the wood, and Zoro really wished they would wait to have deep conversations when they were actually out of danger.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He said so, and the cook tried to kick him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“It’s not stupid, marimo!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yeah, marimo!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Shut up! If we die here, then it’s over!”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Chopper was <em>biting</em> him, the nerve. After saying he couldn’t move, too. <em>“Hurry up and apologize to—”</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro opened his eyes. It was cool and dark, the sounds of sleep around him comfortable. Familiar. Rain was still falling outside, a soothing white noise, as Zoro lay still in bed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’d made it to the palace, Zoro’s memory went foggy on exactly how, but his arm still ached and that gripping, phantom pain in his chest was flaring again. Another dream that he couldn’t remember, except this one wasn’t painful.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper was in it. The cook, too. They wanted him to apologize, but the name kept slipping around in his brain, evasive like every detail was when he tried to grasp it. He needed a way to keep them from slipping away—this palace probably had at least one notebook, didn’t it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He resolved to ask in the morning, fatigue overcoming him again, as if he hadn’t slept at all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The crackling smell of ozone burned and the false god laughed, pointing an ugly, overconfident finger. <em>“I hate manipulative women.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>A piercing scream that sent an awful chill down Zoro’s spine. He hadn’t protected her, he hadn’t fully trusted her, and now she was—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No. Her heart was still beating. Anger shot through him as he held her in his arm. “<em>She’s a woman</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She was an enemy.</p>
<p>She was nakama.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Luffy made her want to come back to life.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She was—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro opened his eyes, this time to a more chaotic scene. He blinked, trying to hold onto the strange, electric fear before it vanished, but Usopp was complaining loudly about something, and Chopper was looking for something, and Nami was yelling at them to be quiet because they needed <em>sleep</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro blinked again. The witch wasn’t referring to him, was she? More likely their damn, country-saving captain who was probably, scratch that, definitely still passed out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He took in a deep breath, as deep as he could without wincing, which somehow alerted Chopper to his awakened state. “Zoro!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mhm?”</p>
<p>“You’ve been asleep for two days!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I have?” This was in direct opposition to the pounding headache Zoro was currently experiencing, which kindly informed him that he was not getting any productive sleep at all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You overdid it again,” said Nami with a long-suffering sigh. She didn’t look angry, though, almost…worried? “Vivi has been wanting to thank you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thank him? The memories came back slow and fuzzy. The fight with Mr. 1 and then flinging the bomb above the city before it exploded. Well, it made sense why it was foggy, he hadn’t done <em>that</em> the first time—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The first time?</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro groaned, out loud this time. He needed to get a grip on things. “Luffy’s still out,” said the cook, gesturing to the lump in the next bed. Zoro nodded, still feeling too dizzy to properly snap back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He moved to stand, fully intending to practice cutting steel or at least figure out what the hell Haki allowed him to do and was instead met with four <em>concerned</em> expressions that made him bristle.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Please don’t tell me you’re going to go train,” said Chopper, crossing his arms and attempting to look intimidating.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“…I won’t tell you.”</p>
<p>“ZORO!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright, I won’t, I won’t,” Zoro physically pulled Chopper off of his leg. “I’ll find Vivi, then.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Vivi-chan?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fighting the urge to hit him, Zoro gritted his teeth and moved towards the door. “You said she was looking for me, didn’t you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There’s no way <em>you’ll </em>find her,” said Nami. “I’ll come with you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why did everyone insist on making things complicated?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not going to get <em>lost</em>—”</p>
<p>“Don’t even start, marimo, you somehow found the only jungle in Alabasta—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro groaned loudly again, his head pounding. “Fine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivi ended up being in a large library, apparently picking out a few books on medicine and navigation, and Nami ended up making a beeline towards them, ignoring him completely. Or, maybe it was her way of being tactful.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m glad you came,” said Vivi, sounding more relaxed than Zoro had ever heard. “I…I wanted to thank you. You acted so quickly, and you saved the city.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt heat spread across his face and shook his head. “Didn’t do it for thanks.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I didn’t think so,” Vivi smiled at him. “But I’m still so grateful. We’re all in your…well, we’re all in all of your debts. Not that Luffy-san would see it that way, I imagine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No, he wouldn’t. “Actually,” he was in a palace library. It was as good a time to ask as any. “Do you have any books with blank pages?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivi frowned briefly. “For writing in? I’m sure we do. I didn’t know you liked to keep a journal.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Something like that,” Zoro’s lip twitched involuntarily as she located one. “Oi, Vivi?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mr. Bushido?”</p>
<p>“You trust Luffy, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course,” said Vivi. “Why?” She handed him a notebook, the paper thick and cream-colored, nicer than anything he’d ever written on before.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t really sure why it was so important for him to say this, only that it was. He wondered if she’d be furious with them, but something told him she wouldn’t. Still… “He always knows if people are good or not.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’d noticed that,” said Vivi, still a little wary, but now more nostalgic. “I’m going to miss—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She clamped her hands around her mouth, looking at Zoro fearfully. Zoro was growing used to not feeling any prickles of surprise. “Don’t worry.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Vivi gave him a grateful, if slightly sad smile, before shaking her head. “Nami-san, would you like to take any of these with you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Really?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His out. Zoro took the notebook, leaving a sweaty handprint on the cover, and decided to train where none of his troublesome crewmates could find him. Or, fall asleep trying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro meditated, feeling the deep heat of Alabasta on his back, balancing two large rocks on his arms, eyes closed deep in thought. He heard a voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Chopper telling him he needed to rest his right arm, but he’d rested for two days, right? That should be more than enough.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Concentrate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first word in the notebook was <em>Sabo</em>, followed by <em>fire</em> and (in the margins, written smaller to seem less real) <em>A- dead?</em>. There were also vague feelings that seemed to come the more he wrote them down: another princess and another Warlord, a bear paw print that made his chest spasm with pain, a skeleton with a violin, a talking dog.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It all felt distant, even with the nagging voice telling him some things were more important than others. But he kept writing for a while, filling in the thoughts that managed not to slip away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Concentrate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro thought about the way his sword had darkened to black, resistant to even the smallest chip. The way he’d heard his opponent breathe, saw him move before he’d moved. The way he’d unconsciously felt everyone’s presence as he woke up, reaching not just for heartbeats but for the entirety of each of his nakama. So easy and familiar, he wondered why he ever stopped.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And so the word <em>Haki</em> made it into the notebook, with <em>Busoshoku </em>and <em>Kenbunshoku </em>underneath, and then he knew he was missing one more but he’d never been a conqueror anyway—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, a circle with <em>Luffy?</em>, and now he sat, holding his arms out and deepening his breaths. He’d hoped that the notebook would make the thoughts in his head flutter less, but now they were obsessive, itching to escape. <em>Water 7</em> made him feel deeply anxious, almost nauseous, while <em>Foxy</em> just felt annoying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It would be convenient if all of these thoughts and words would string themselves together with <em>context</em>, but apparently that was too much to hope for.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Concentrate.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro focused on the sun, bearing down on him heavily, and the weight of the rocks on his arms. He still felt like he was missing something, well, lots of somethings actually, but it was better now. A giant, crying mermaid, a train that ran on the ocean, an ocean made out of clouds, a sword that turned into an elephant—</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Robin</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s arms buckled at the weight of the thought that hit his mind, and he swore, loudly. <em>Shit</em>, that hurt. His arm muscles were definitely mad at him now, but <em>Robin</em> rang in his brain like a loud bell. The woman in his dream with the others, with the familiar amused expression, and the right-hand woman for Baroque Works was…going to join their crew.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Huh. He didn’t see that one coming. But for some reason, it didn’t feel absurd anymore. Just wholly and fully correct.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro put down the rocks and wrote in large letters at the bottom of the page <em>ROBIN</em> and idly wondered what Vivi would have to say about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well, he did talk to her about it, didn’t he? Even if neither of them knew it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh hey, Luffy, you woke up.”</p>
<p>“Ohhhh, Zoro! Long time no see!” Luffy tilted his head, as if confused by the comment. “Long time no see?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone was back in the large bedroom, and Zoro was glad he’d thought to slide the notebook behind his haramaki so it wasn’t visible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ahhh, hey! You went out training again, didn’t you?!” Chopper bounded over, sounding irate.</p>
<p>“What, it’s my business isn’t it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was rolling his eyes and Usopp muttered something in Nami’s direction which she did not take kindly to, all the while Luffy was repeating “Long time no see?” like a parrot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No means no! I’m the ship doctor! And don’t take off the bandages, either!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s hard to move with them.”</p>
<p>“Don’t move!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit. It was nice to know, at least, that somethings didn’t change.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well,” said Usopp, looking over at Luffy and ignoring them. “It’s probably natural for you to feel that way. You were out for three days.”</p>
<p>“What?! I slept for three days?! That’s fifteen meals!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now that Luffy mentioned it, Zoro realized he was pretty hungry…but food was coming. There was always a banquet, after all, and this one was being prepared by royal chefs. He didn’t care for hero-worship, but if it came with good alcohol…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Speaking of royal chefs, was it really that common for a husband and wife to look so alike? They could’ve been <em>siblings</em>. But no matter what she looked like, Zoro had to give her some respect for managing to feed Luffy who was flinging his rubbery arms around the table even more vigorously than usual.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Straw Hats were always chaotic, but this was even more chaotic than usual, everyone laughing and yelling loudly, indignation at Luffy stealing food off their plates but no one minding too much. Usopp and Chopper were dancing on the table, and Zoro could even hear the guards start to laugh too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He hadn’t felt this calm in a while, maybe a combination of finally being able to relax along with the steady march of words that became clearer and clearer every time. But it also went deeper than that. Part of sailing on the crew of the future king of the pirates meant things got harder and bigger and usually much worse, but this? This was good. When they finished Kaido—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro froze, fear pounding through him as he lowered his fork. In his distraction, Luffy managed to pilfer an entire lobster from his plate. Kaido. If the name <em>Robin</em> gave him a sense of security, the name <em>Kaido</em> made his stomach turn unpleasantly. But no face accompanied the name, just an unshakable itchiness on his skin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The steam from the baths helped. Luffy and Usopp were being loud and splashing each other, Sanji was being loud and pestering the guy with tube-hair about the woman’s bath, but Zoro tried to make it up to Chopper a little by helping him get washed up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He couldn’t quite get the anxious feeling to settle, but at least it smelled good. And he wasn’t charged 100,000 berries to get flashed by Nami, though <em>why</em> Chopper and Luffy got themselves involved was beyond him. Usopp was a bad influence.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Leaving tonight?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Back in the rooms, they sat more or less in a circle, and for once (a bit misleading, Zoro agreed with the sea witch more than he liked to admit), he and Nami were on the same page. The cook and Usopp were slowly nodding their heads, too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, we do have to consider the Navy’s actions.”</p>
<p>“Well, you decide, Luffy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay! We’ll go after having more Alabastan dishes—”</p>
<p>Zoro grunted. “No, <em>tonight</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because, if his thoughts were telling him correctly, the marines had definitely been paying attention and their crew’s bounty was about to get an unprecedented increase, not just from him and Luffy but from the crewmate they didn’t even know they had yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“For Vivi’s sake…” Nami looked uncharacteristically solemn from the back of the ducks they rode into the cooling desert. “I’m willing to give up on the one billion berries.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course you should!”</p>
<p>“So it was about the money?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah, Usopp fell off!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro gritted his teeth. “Nami, don’t act so misleading!”</p>
<p>“What?” Nami looked back and forth at them. “What’re you guys so worked up about? If it’s about Vivi, there’s no use worrying about it, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi! Usopp fell!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Seeing Mr. 2 again wasn’t really something that Zoro had been looking forward to, but he mostly ignored the okama as he loaded Merry with their bags. Only Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp seemed very interested in his daring quest to protect Merry in the name of friendship, which…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well, they were about to gain another member from Baroque Works, weren’t they? Was that so strange?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then you protected Merry from the marines?”</p>
<p>“Why?!”</p>
<p>“How come?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Because,” Bon clay’s eyes flashed and he winked. “We’re friends!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And, apparently, that’s all it took. If the man were <em>his </em>enemy, Zoro probably wouldn’t be taking it as well as the cook seemed to, but then again, they had more problems. Namely, getting around the navy blockade. Worse, they would wait for Vivi to come and decide if she were joining, when Zoro knew that she wouldn’t.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Should he say that? Avoid the risk of getting trapped by the marines? None of them would want to hear it, in any case…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, this escape was proving to be a complete shit-show. Even more than usual. The marines were surrounding them, Bon Clay had just done a dramatic sacrifice, complete with sakura petals and tears, and they <em>still</em> weren’t leaving.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was beginning to regret deciding not to mention that the princess they were waiting for wasn’t planning on joining them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But, in any case, everyone else still looked hopeful, and Luffy thought goodbyes were important.</p>
<p>And she would come. Because Vivi thought goodbyes were important, too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘No matter what happens,’ Luffy’s voice rang loud and clear in Zoro’s head, as they all pulled the bandages off their arms to reveal a clean <strong>X</strong>. ‘This thing on our left arm is the sign of our friendship!’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Without looking back, Zoro knew Vivi had her arm in the air, too. She had to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It felt, well it didn’t really feel <em>good</em>, but it felt right, and Zoro had a feeling (he wasn’t sure if it was the thoughts or not) that they would see her again. The Grand Line was funny, like that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And anyway, the marines were still chasing them, Zoro felt the faint presence of someone else on their ship, and if he was actually right about who it was…</p>
<p>Well, the Grand Line was funny about that, too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Looks like the marines stopped chasing us!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All he got in response was five depressed moans, and Zoro frowned. “…We did shake them off, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmmm.”</p>
<p>“Mmmmm.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You know…” Zoro’s eye twitched. “What’s with those indifferent replies?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In a weird, depressed-sounding unison, the rest of the crew looked at him with moping expressions. “I miss her!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t be whiny,” said Zoro, although admittedly he might be more upset if he’d actually ever believed Vivi was going to continue to travel with them. Also, he tended not to get upset by things like this. “If you wanted her to stay with us that badly, you should’ve taken her by force.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ahhh you’re such a savage!” Chopper shrieked.</p>
<p>Nami glared at him. “You’re the worst!”</p>
<p>“Marimo.”</p>
<p>“Santoryu.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, wait, Luffy,” said Usopp, while Zoro rolled his eyes. “Santoryu isn’t an insult.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“…Yontoryu.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was Zoro’s cue to leave the conversation, while Usopp tried to explain to their captain how insulting someone worked. He wasn’t really interested in <em>that</em>, more interested in the heartbeat that was slowly approaching, and giving it (her) a lazy expression.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He didn’t even feel alarm bells. There was a complete absence of worry, just a sense of relief. Robin looked at him quizzically for a second, or maybe he only knew it was quizzical because of how often she looked like that, before expressing her gratitude in getting away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The hysterical yells of the rest of the crew was <em>definitely</em> worth it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why are you here?!”</p>
<p>“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“These are your clothes, right?” Robin smiled. “I’m borrowing them.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami’s outrage again felt worth it, even as the cook loudly berated Luffy for the ‘horrible crime’ he committed to this beautiful lady. As if the cook <em>himself</em> wouldn’t fall victim to Luffy’s persistent unwillingness to not allow people to die…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro frowned at that, and the word <em>Germa</em> floated into his brain. When this was over, he’d add that to the notebook.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He looked over at the cook again. <em>Germa, Wedding, Vinsmoke. </em>And Robin was <em>Sea train, Blueprints, CP9</em>. The thoughts were becoming clearer now, staying in his brain and gripping tighter without sliding away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Actually, Zoro didn’t need to be on the deck for this, did he? He knew what crime Luffy committed, knew what Robin wanted in return. It seemed more important to sort through his thoughts, especially as they kept giving him a headache—</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>“Let me…join your crew</em>.”</p>
<p>“Let me…join your crew.”</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt a shiver up his spine that made him stop moving towards one of the rooms inside. He’d <em>heard</em> her say it before she said it, but was it a memory? That didn’t make any sense—</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>“Don’t worry. She isn’t a bad person</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy grinned, the kind where his eyes closed. “Don’t worry. She isn’t a bad person.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro considered hitting his head against a beam but decided against it. He knew it was going to happen, but he still didn’t know <em>how</em>. Unless…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was seeing things before they happened. What else <em>could</em> it be except for some strange precognition? Didn’t advanced users of Observation Haki have the ability to look into the future a short distance? Of course, this felt more like <em>long</em> distance, but it could have the same root.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or…no, he couldn’t have ingested some devil’s fruit without noticing. He’d gone swimming since then without any of the strange aftereffects. But to predict the <em>future</em>…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>But Ace was dead.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Oh, fuck. <em>Fuck</em>. If he really could see into the future, then these weren’t just bad feelings and random words, they were things that were actually going to happen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro mostly ignored the rest of the crew still reacting to Robin, interacting with her for the first time. He was the only one who wasn’t going to get sidetracked or distracted by her anyway, so it was a good thing she actually didn’t mean them any harm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay. He somehow, overnight, obtained the ability to see the future. He could work with that. Should he tell—no, they probably wouldn’t believe him. In any case, Zoro needed to get a better grip on it and stop doubting whatever the strange thoughts had to say. Because they weren’t thoughts. They were the future.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fuck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This ship is nice,” it took Zoro a minute to realize Robin was speaking to him now, separated from the rest of the crew below. “Is it always lively like this?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could ask Robin. She’d probably be the only one to know the answer to something like that. Or Jimbe.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Jimbe?</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro shook himself out of it. “Yeah. It is.”</p>
<p>“I see,” Robin smiled, looking out at the vastness of the ocean in front of them. Zoro could ask her later, when it wouldn’t be so strange. Then again, she’d always been good with strange.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You noticed I was on the ship.”</p>
<p>“Hai.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin glanced up, her eyes holding the vaguest hint of curiosity. “I see,” she said again, without asking anything else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper wanted to perform basic medical examinations now that the trouble was over, and Zoro was standing in front of him, ready to be scolded for something or another.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This scar,” Chopper’s brows were furrowed, looking at the poor stitching that arched across his chest. “It’s ripped open, hasn’t it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think it did,” said Zoro, looking at the old wound. Well, it wasn’t as old now, as it would be.</p>
<p>“And these scars on your ankles?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, those. “Well, we got caught in some wax, and I tried cutting myself out—”</p>
<p>“You tried to cut your feet off?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was going about as well as expected. “Oi, Chopper?” Chopper stopped mid-tirade and looked up at him curiously.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you have anything to help with sleeping?”</p>
<p>“Sleeping?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro nodded. “I get these really vivid dreams sometimes. Means I’m still dead tired when I wake up.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm,” Chopper had quieted, now that he had a task that wasn’t getting angry about Zoro’s unfortunate habit of getting cut up. “I have a few things I could try. Some Melatonin, Valerian Root, Lavender, Magnesium…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All of that sounded good. Although, Zoro wondered if it would be necessary now that the thoughts that usually only came in his dreams were becoming stronger and stronger while he was awake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The chill came over him again, and Zoro couldn’t help but feel that the future was better when it was confined to his sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you all for the lovely feedback! It's always so nice to read thoughts and guesses :)</p>
<p>Up Next: One ship falls out of the sky, one ship goes into the sky, and very far away, a different green-haired swordsman tries to wake up.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Robin gave him a faraway smile. “Are you good at guessing, swordsman-san?”</p>
<p>Impossible that she was onto him already. Absolutely no way. Robin didn’t even know him that well, and she’d been on the ship for hardly any time at all. Zoro raised an eyebrow and continued walking. “Sure.”</p>
<p>“Well, perhaps not with directions. We already came that way.”</p>
<p>Zoro felt heat rise up his neck and made the firm decision to do as little as possible.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>He tasted metal in his mouth</em>, something warm pooling in his throat. He tried to cough, but his throat didn’t respond, clenching uselessly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s coming out of his mouth again.”</p>
<p>“Ah, shit, let’s put him on his side—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The pain radiated as he felt his body limply turn over, and he gasped, blood spilling out of his mouth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“—oh, <em>shit—”</em></p>
<p>“—can you hear—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t swallow, couldn’t get the awful taste out of his mouth. Bile rose from his stomach, churning with nausea, and he thought it might be spilling out of his mouth too, but he felt too dizzy to pay any attention.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“—get Chop—”</p>
<p>“—wait, Mugiwara-ya—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A familiar presence. “Can you hear me?” It was too quiet, too serious. It didn’t belong to him.</p>
<p>He wanted to answer, he really did. Even if he didn’t know where he was, or why his chest felt like someone had gouged it out. Instead, another painful cough, and more blood dripped onto the floor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The darkness began to slip over him, pulling him downwards. Less pain. More sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro woke up, surprisingly refreshed. The concoction Chopper cooked up must have helped; his sleep was finally dreamless. The consequence of that, though, was that his head was full of fresh futuristic thoughts ready to be written down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was one of those brilliantly bright Grand Line days, sunny with a strong breeze, the kind of morning where Zoro understood why people called this half Paradise.</p>
<p>He smiled to himself slightly. It didn’t seem strange anymore, knowing that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was also the perfect morning to actually get some decent Haki training in. Zoro knew what it was and knew that he was (in theory) capable, but unless he could use it in battle <em>without</em> getting stabbed several times first, he needed to practice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Observation was relatively easy; he turned his attention now to the six presences on board—feeling their heartbeats was coming more naturally, their individual breaths were distinct but familiar, and while it was taxing after a while, it wasn’t too much trouble.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Armament on the other hand…first, Zoro considered this much more important, and second, it was much more obvious, thus requiring him to be sneakier. And Zoro had never been very good at being sneaky.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’re you doing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro definitely did <em>not</em> yelp, but he did make…some noise, as Usopp looked at him with even more curiosity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“…training.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp looked unconvinced, and Zoro couldn’t exactly blame him. It looked more like meditation, with the added bonus of talking out loud to his sword, but the Straw Hats thought <em>Zoro</em> and <em>training</em> and came up with large, unwieldly weights and cursing.</p>
<p>“Sure,” said Usopp, after a minute. “Uh, anyway, Sanji says it’s lunchtime. Well, actually he said—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro could guess. “’m coming,” he grunted, re-sheathing his sword. It was getting closer, not quite muscle memory because his muscles were confused, but the mental capability was there. He just had to believe that.</p>
<p>The air smelled like grilled fish and warm tangerines, and Zoro felt a bubble of nostalgia in his chest at the sight of everyone sitting outside, Robin on the edge still reading. They were missing people, but Zoro hadn’t felt like this in a long time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But as he settled in, enjoying his meal, he had the distinct feeling that something was about to happen. Something Grand-Line worthy in levels of ridiculousness. He looked up towards Nami, who was pushing Luffy away from her plate with a ferocious glare and said, “I think a ship’s going to fall on us.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well, he hadn’t meant to say <em>that</em> exactly, and now six sets of curious eyes were looking at him. “Go on,” said Usopp. “I haven’t heard that one before.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The marimo’s telling jokes?” The cook mused, blowing out a stream of smoke. “The world must be ending.”</p>
<p>Zoro opened his mouth, ready to either take back what he said or pick a fight, when Nami suddenly held out her arm. “Rain?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, it’s…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The horrified expressions <em>might</em> have been worth it if Zoro wasn’t also witnessing a goddam decrepit ship hovering above them, debris splashing into the water, and he resisted the urge to yell “Coup de Burst!”, instead deciding that they should <em>probably</em> hold on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hold onto the ship!” he yelled, Usopp and Chopper’s loud shrieks floating past him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There was really a ship?!”</p>
<p>“What’s going on?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This must be a dream!” Usopp yelled out, eyes wide in disbelief.</p>
<p>Nami let out a panicked scream. “Turn the rudder!”</p>
<p>“Won’t work in these waves!” Zoro yelled back. “Luffy, we have to protect the ship!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And now Usopp was meditating, Jesus Christ. Zoro gritted his teeth and jumped upwards, gripping Kitetsu tightly. The sword wanted <em>live</em> victims, but it was also proving to be less fussy when it came to—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A sleek black covered the blade, and Zoro sliced the ship in half, sending the debris falling on either side instead of directly on them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oooh!” Luffy sounded delighted, rubbery arms outstretched and hitting away wood. “So cool!”</p>
<p>Zoro grinned. It <em>was</em> fucking cool. And even better, now they got to go into the sky.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A sky island?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“To be more precise,” said Robin. “A floating sea.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro could feel Luffy’s excitement growing; happiness was physically seeping out of him. “There’s a sea with an island floating in the <em>sky</em>?!” He said it like it was too good to be true. “Upwards rudder full!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“In any case, you can’t turn upwards, Captain,” said the cook, with a long-suffering sigh. He and Nami both looked far from convinced.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then the Log Pose must be broken!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, Navigator-san,” said Robin calmly. “Our concern right now should not be the Log Pose, it should be how we get into the sky. You must never doubt the Log Pose, that is an ironclad rule. What we should doubt rather is any notion of common sense.”</p>
<p>Nami didn’t argue, but she didn’t agree either.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ne, did Zoro see the ship falling?” Luffy asked, bounding over curiously as Robin set down to piece together the shards of the skeleton’s skull. It was a little gruesome, but then, so was Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm? Oh, yeah, I did.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was true in a sense; he <em>had</em> seen the ship falling towards them, but not as he said it. Still, Luffy seemed appeased by that answer, and jumped away again to join Usopp in “exploring.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“These holes are man-made. Likely the result of a medical treatment. Would you agree, Doctor-san?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper was still hiding badly but poked his head out to answer. “Yeah. In the past they made holes in the skull in order to constrain a brain tumor. But, it’s a medical technique that was done a long time ago.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin continued her careful examination, deducing that the ship was South Blue, and that it had likely been an exploratory mission. What Zoro heard, underneath it all, was ‘prepare to get wet.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It went as well as things ever did, and Zoro sighed loudly for what felt like the hundredth time. First the ship and then a monkey and then a giant fucking turtle and then some massive shadows that Zoro vaguely recognized as belonging to the warriors of Skypiea but still made him nearly shit himself a little.</p>
<p>The name Jaya sent a strange feeling down his spine that he couldn’t place a name on. <em>Hyena</em>, and <em>Cherry pie</em>, and <em>laughter</em>—the kind that didn’t sit well with him. <em>Dumbass bird</em> and <em>Liar</em> made it the notebook as well, which he furiously wrote in as the cook turned the octopus that kept following him into takoyaki.</p>
<p>His thoughts drifted towards the sky and <em>lightning </em>and <em>bell</em> and <em>dumbass bird</em> and <em>snake</em> got added to the page. There was a distinct lack of organization, words connected with half-hearted attempts at lines and circles, sliding from what he felt was soon to come to things that felt much more distant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Hyena-like laughter, Luffy rather inconsiderately refusing to get dragged down to someone’s level.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Begrudgingly wearing disguises that weren’t going to work, some asshole with a trumpet nose. </em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>There was one page, though, that was less haphazard. It was everything Zoro could think about each of his nakama, names underlined with the words and thoughts that entered his brain when he concentrated.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>And then, three names he hadn’t met yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The other pages were more vague, especially if he could see brief images of the person in his mind but their name escaped them. There was a girl with pink hair and an irritating voice and irritating ghosts, but he couldn’t remember what she was called. Then names like <em>Law</em> and <em>Kidd</em> that didn’t have an image but just a vague, annoying sensation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But it was all in his brain somewhere. He had to keep believing that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro heard Chopper ask “What is Jaya like?” and Luffy respond “It’s an island of meat!” before rolling his eyes and stuffing the notebook back in its hiding place. Jaya tasted bitter in his mouth, but he wasn’t going to let something like <em>that</em> stop him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fucking…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro respected Luffy. Zoro trusted Luffy. Zoro loved Luffy, and he was used to putting up with Luffy’s particular brand of bullshit, but it was almost worse putting up with Luffy’s convictions when his captain was <em>right</em> and Zoro would just prefer to be wrong.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And the sea witch was mad at them, and they’d just run into <em>Blackbeard</em> of all people, and as much as Zoro had the sudden inclination to decapitate him on the spot, he figured that probably wasn’t a great idea.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Even though Blackbeard caused so many damn problems. <em>Would</em> cause so many problems. Apparently.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I still don’t know why you didn’t just beat them all up!” Nami threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. “You’re men, aren’t you?! Or just blow up this whole stupid town!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh!” said Chopper excitedly. “Did you get any information on Sky Island?”</p>
<p>Nami’s demonic expression answered that question easily enough.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sky Island!” She started to rant, voice getting even louder when Robin approached the ship. “All I did was <em>mention </em>Sky Island! And I get laughed at?! <em>You’re</em> the one who brought this all up in the first place!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Jumping point!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro heard a tiny shout and a distinct, devil-fruit user has gone overboard <em>again</em> sound. “Oi, Chopper!”</p>
<p>The water stung his cuts but at least Chopper hadn’t fallen very far. By the time he scooped him up and swam back up to the ship, Robin had handed Luffy a map of the island with the name of some dreamer they needed to find.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Liar.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>North Blue.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Gold.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro blinked and wrung his shirt out as Chopper gasped for air beside him. “I thought I was a goner!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Geez, you’re such a pain.”</p>
<p>“But Nami was—”</p>
<p>“What?! What about me?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was never any use, talking to Nami when she was like this. But at least Chopper didn’t try to jump overboard again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s called Noland the Liar.”</p>
<p>“Hah! What a great name for a book!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was invading someone’s personal space, Chopper was digging on Nami’s orders for gold, and Zoro was staring carefully at the cook.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Noland the Liar?”</p>
<p>“You know it, Sanji-kun? But it says it was published in the North Blue.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah,” said the cook, and he was smiling easily. “I was born in the North Blue. Haven’t I mentioned that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s news to me,” said Usopp. “I thought you were from East Blue, too.”</p>
<p>“I grew up there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And it was so quick, Zoro wouldn’t have noticed, except this time his Haki was on and focused on the cook’s sudden increase in heart rate, a brief wave of fear.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s a famous story in the North,” he continued, and Zoro couldn’t believe none of them questioned it. No one traveled between the Four Seas, hell, <em>pirates</em> hardly traveled between the Four Seas. “It’s a fairy tale, but apparently he’s said to have really existed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He never treated being from the North Blue like a secret. Maybe that’s why Zoro never thought that it was anything worthwhile. They all knew Law was from the North, and sometimes the cook would make more traditional dishes, but Law had traveled to the Grand Line as a pirate. The cook had migrated directly from North Blue to East Blue as a child.</p>
<p>Zoro shook the thought away. Their pasts were their pasts, it just would’ve been nice if the cook’s past didn’t involve a psychotic Yonko.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shit, he really <em>could</em> see the future.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a man with a head like a chestnut, flanked by the two loud monkey scavengers, and already Zoro could tell Luffy was having the time of his life. An island in the sky, huh? It did sound impossible. But they were going to ride the current straight into the clouds, and he’d see it again soon enough.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright, there’s three nets, let’s split up into three groups!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t sure why Robin followed him, but she did, and they wandered for a while, occasionally hearing the familiar shrieks of Nami echo throughout the voices. He even heard a little of the <em>cook</em> yelling about spiders, which he would have to remember to tease him about later.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>And</em> he managed not to fall into a pit of quicksand. It was so far a good evening.</p>
<p>Some more yells that sounded like Luffy and Chopper, but generally sticking with Robin meant there were fewer embarrassments. It was like some secondary Devil Fruit power kept awkward and uncomfortable things from befalling her.</p>
<p>There were some upstart crickets that thought they stood a chance with him, and he scolded one of them while Robin looked around thoughtfully. “I can hear it but I can’t see it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You need to see it to use your Devil Fruit powers?”</p>
<p>She nodded slowly. “Yes.” Another high-pitched wail echoed. “I hope the others are having more success than we are.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There’s no way that’s true.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin gave him a faraway smile. “Are you good at guessing, swordsman-san?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Impossible that she was onto him already. Absolutely no way. Robin didn’t even know him that well, and she’d been on the ship for hardly any time at all. Zoro raised an eyebrow and continued walking. “Sure.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, perhaps not with directions. We already came that way.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt heat rise up his neck and made the firm decision to do as little as possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, Luffy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’d returned with a dumbass bird to see the injured bodies of Cricket and the monkey salvagers, covered in blood. Zoro felt a pang of guilt for not remembering that this happened, but was it possible to remember everything? He regularly forgot peoples’ names. Regularly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The symbol was familiar. <em>Doflamingo</em>, then <em>Law</em>, then <em>‘Oh, that weird spring guy.’</em> The Donquixote Family really knew how to fucking pick them. And Zoro was pretty sure he hadn’t seen Luffy punch him in the face before, but he <em>really</em> wanted to see Luffy punch him in the face. It sounded like a good pick-me-up to round out an overall super shitty island.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm?”</p>
<p>Zoro just pointed, and Luffy’s eyes narrowed. “If we run along the coast of the island, we should make it back before tomorrow afternoon.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>That</em> made Luffy’s expression change. And he knew Luffy wanted to do it himself and he earned the right to get in a hell of a good shot, but as Zoro’s arm reminded him, he’d also earned that, right? And Luffy was always so selfish to get these fights to himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just want to watch,” Zoro added, and Luffy stared at him for a second before turning to Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’d make it back?” he asked, and Zoro felt a rush of adrenaline. <em>Hell</em> <em>yes</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They didn’t talk while they ran, Zoro a few steps behind, and he let his mind wander, occasionally cutting down some buzzing crickets. And also catching Luffy literally two full times before he fell into water, Jesus, how did he manage this without him?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Doflamingo: A grinning, sunglass-wearing asshole with a stupid coat. Law: A perpetually frowning asshole with a stupid hat. Shichibukai. Worst Generation. They were coming into cleaner focus, Law especially.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Ally</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The word blinked in strangely. Ally was the kind of official word they wouldn’t ever use seriously, must have been Law’s idea then, because Luffy certainly would’ve called it <em>friendship</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro scoffed out loud, ducking under a tree branch.</p>
<p>“I want to handle him alone.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy’s voice sounded strange, but Zoro didn’t dwell on it. “’Course. Like I said, just wanted to watch.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not help?”</p>
<p>“Why would you need help?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Luffy finally relaxed a little, even as they kept running.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bellamy’s laugh was loud and obnoxious, cutting through the night. “I hate to ask, but can you fight? Do you know how to throw a punch?”</p>
<p>Zoro had gone off to the side, invisible from any of the onlookers. He wasn’t really interested in dealing with them; Luffy cutting their so-called leader down a few notches would be more than enough. He rolled his eyes—Did <em>Luffy</em> know how to throw a punch?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They even had a copy of their new wanted posters, something about the smallness of the numbers made Zoro chuckle, but it was more than enough that these fuckers should feel very afraid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“They’re friends of yours? Hah! I should’ve known!” Bellamy jeered, cackling madly. “A city of gold? A sky island? The era of dreams is over, you pathetic excuse for pirates!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro never really understood people who were so easy to scoff at the idea of dreams—didn’t they have any goals for themselves? Were they not working towards anything? But Bellamy was particularly annoying, and Zoro was getting a little impatient, crossing his arms over his chest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do I know how to throw a punch, you ask?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was, to put in a few words, extremely satisfying, and Zoro let himself grin widely. Bellamy was stopped instantly, falling into the ground with his face caved in. Luffy’s fist dripped with blood.</p>
<p>Oh, that was worth it. Definitely worth it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His thugs were moaning and shrieking, yelling at Bellamy to get up and balking at Luffy in fear. Good. He hadn’t really minded letting them act all tough before, but it was much better seeing Luffy get that awed terror from wanna-be pirates.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Give me back the old guy’s gold,” he said, and it wasn’t a question.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shishishi, he wasn’t much,” said Luffy as they ran back along the shoreline. Zoro hadn’t even come out to give them a glare of his own, they didn’t deserve it if just the sight of Luffy’s blood-covered fist was enough to send them into a panic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Did you think he would be?”</p>
<p>“Nah,” said Luffy. They’d split up the gold between them so it didn’t slow them down as much. “Would’ve been more fun if he was, though.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His eyes suddenly lit up. “A Hercules beetle! I have to catch it!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No—” Zoro grabbed his shirt. “Nami will kill you. No beetles.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But it’s a rare one!”</p>
<p>“Don’t you want to go to the Sky Island?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy stopped wiggling out of his grasp. “Zoro believes it, then?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Doesn’t really matter what I think,” said Zoro. And it didn’t, because it existed whether Zoro believed it did or not. “We’re going to see for ourselves.”</p>
<p>"I bet there’s <em>loads</em> of treasure,” declared Luffy, smiling widely despite the lack of beetle.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘And false gods,’ thought Zoro, but he just nodded as the sun rose slowly around them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Even knowing that this was all going to turn out alright, Zoro still couldn’t believe what they were getting themselves into. Or, he couldn’t believe Nami was letting them get into something like this. The city of gold was a powerful motivator.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are we really going to be okay?!”</p>
<p>“The middle of <em>that</em> giant whirlpool?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro gritted his teeth. Drowning seemed like a much more likely consequence, but they’d done it (before?) and they would do it again. No wonder Merry had…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He stopped his line of thought, a small grief squeezing his chest. No wonder Merry wouldn’t make it, if they kept putting her through trials like this. He could feel the splinter that would stem from it, deep and aching.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I want to turn back!” wailed Usopp, and Zoro shook out of it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Too late. This one’s already excited.”</p>
<p>“SKY ISLAND!!!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp, Nami, and Chopper were gripping onto the ship, eyes bulging as the two ships waved them away. “It’s up to you now!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is a scam!” Nami shrieked. “No one said anything about a giant whirlpool!”</p>
<p>“We’re getting sucked in!”</p>
<p>“Luffy, it’s not too late, we can get out!” Usopp was shaking. “This island is just a dream in a dream, this whirlpool’s enough to kill us—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“An island in a dream within a dream,” repeated Luffy, staring out at the waves. “I’ll regret it for life if I pass up such a big adventure!” His face was glowing, pure joy radiating even with the other trio’s fear.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hurry, Nami-san! Jump into my arms!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>How</em> can you be so calm?!” Nami yelled, pointing an accusing finger in Zoro’s direction. Even Robin looked apprehensive, but Zoro was just readying himself for the upward force—the whirlpool really didn’t bother him as much.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They could feel it, the trembling beneath them, slightly shaking Merry’s floorboards. A voice called out to them, a familiar flag with three skulls hanging from the small ship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, Zoro.”</p>
<p>“Just here for our bounties,” said Zoro, eyeing Blackbeard with distaste. He’d eaten that evil fruit at this point, so fighting him wasn’t really the best option. Even though it would save—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Bounties?”</p>
<p>“After Alabasta,” said Zoro, before realizing the others hadn’t known that yet. “Didn’t you see ‘em?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s right,” said Usopp, focusing in on the papers that Blackbeard was holding up. “You do have one now Zoro—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?! What about me?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro laughed, throwing his head back a little. “Only 60 million, I’m a little embarrassed.”</p>
<p>“Woohoo! Did you hear that?! 100 million!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It did seem small, compared to where they would go. But now Robin was giving him another strange look, and the trembles below them were becoming stronger, and he’d just have to figure out Teach at a different time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Everyone! Grab onto something!”</p>
<p>Zoro braced himself, adrenaline pumping. Here they <em>go</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was an exhilarating rush, Zoro’s stomach lurching as they flew upward, faster and higher. Usopp was screaming, Nami was shouting orders to unfurl the sails, the cook was declaring his unending love, Chopper was grasping onto the mast for dear life, Luffy was pointing them forward, and Zoro missed this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just adventure, going somewhere because it was interesting and fun, not necessarily important. He hadn’t ever thought he’d miss something like this, but the future seemed so much more complicated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The world’s greatest swordsman,” he whispered quietly to himself as they flew higher and higher. His promise. Of course things would be more complicated, and what better place to fight with his swords than <em>Wano</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was missing something. Well, Zoro was missing a few things, chiefly where he’d suddenly developed psychic powers, but there was something else he couldn’t get a finger on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Wano</em> and <em>Kaido</em> and <em>Starvation</em> and <em>Supernovas</em>. Something else that belonged between those words to fill the empty spaces.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“On towards Sky Island!” Luffy cheered, and Zoro decided he wouldn’t dwell on it before the sudden change in pressure and burst of speed made the world black and dizzy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>He coughed, his throat aching badly</em> like someone had scratched it with sandpaper. Frantic thoughts filled his brain, thoughts that didn’t make any sense. Voices screaming in his head, like he was hurtling back and forth across a great distance, far too quickly for his mind to wrap itself around.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Had he been dreaming about Skypiea?</p>
<p>
  <em>What’s Skypiea?</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>He coughed again, blood coming out of his mouth, wet and painful.</p>
<p>“Oi, oi, Zoro!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The voice was grating and familiar and Zoro frowned, trying to place it. His head felt like it was full of rocks. “Mmph—” He mumbled out, his lips numb and heavy.</p>
<p>“Hey, can you hear me?!” asked one voice, while another was calling out for someone else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro tried to say something, but the words were stuck, refusing to come out. <em>This body was still too injured</em>, incapable of staying awake long enough for the exchange to fully complete—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How is he?” Another voice mumbled, this one less familiar.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” said the voice closest to him, high-pitched and scared. “I haven’t seen him like this since Thriller—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But the voice stopped as he started coughing again. Why did he feel so <em>nauseous</em>?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His thoughts were getting fuzzy again, blending together and traveling far away from him, slipping away before he could grab onto them. But before the blackness took over his vision—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>There was a smiling, freckled face in front of him. The sun was burning intensely above them, making it bright and hard to see. “Oh, Ace, this is the crew I was telling you about!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
  <em>But Ace was—</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p><em>Luffy’s brother, of course,</em> Zoro’s thoughts completed. Of course he would have a brother crazy enough to wear Whitebeard’s mark, saving their asses from Smoker, too.</p>
<p>He felt more blood leave his mouth and winced, his vision going black again. This was getting annoying.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Oh! Thank you all for taking care of my little brother.”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> “A—ce.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Up next: A trip into the clouds, a campfire, and the calm before the storm.</p>
<p>Love hearing your thoughts as always! Have a great rest of the week :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Why are you all the way over here?” Nami approached, slurring only a little, a warm blush on her cheeks. </p>
<p>“Eh? Just drinking.”<br/>“Not dancing?”</p>
<p>Zoro grunted. “Not much of a dancer.”</p>
<p>“Ah,” Nami leaned back, still looking at him carefully, her eyes gleaming slightly. “You know, you’re not off the hook.”</p>
<p>“Hm?”<br/>“For being such a good guesser."</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After they awoke from being knocked unconscious by their less than gracious entry, it turned out there was a lot Zoro’s brain had chosen not to remind him of. Or apparently had decided just wasn’t important enough to bother with.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The old sky knight was familiar, offering hired protection to the crew (Zoro scoffed, having overcome the thinness of the atmosphere fairly quickly. They were <em>more</em> than capable of protecting themselves, thank you very much). So was the other man who tried to attack them (Observation Haki did have its uses), and the stupid-looking bird that ate a Horse-Horse fruit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He did <em>not</em> remember Heaven’s Gate or the weird old angel with a camera. Or the enormous lobster that ran them up the long stretching white belt, wind hurtling them backwards, Usopp and Chopper having a contest to see who could scream the loudest.</p>
<p>Both were winning. Zoro’s eardrums were losing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Skypiea was beautiful, though. An ocean of fluffy white clouds that stretched on endlessly. God must know they were there, now. Zoro shook his arms and dropped the anchor. Not God. Just a logia-fruit user with a complex.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was strange and slightly sweet, not just to see Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp goofing around on the cloudy beach but the cook and Nami too, both jumping in with a reckless abandon Zoro had almost forgotten about.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What about you?” Robin asked, as Zoro looked out at the beautiful island. <em>Priests</em> and <em>lightning</em> and <em>bell </em>and <em>gold</em>.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’ll go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The smell of adventure, huh?” Robin was smiling softly, looking at the rest of the crew. “I’ve never thought of sailing or going ashore as an adventure before.”</p>
<p>She jumped offboard and Zoro waited a minute before following.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then Conis appeared, smiling at them serenely, and saying “Heso”, and Zoro felt like no time had passed at all. He’d forgotten about their strange greeting for each other.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was love struck, eyes in the shape of hearts. “An <em>angel</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Heso?” Usopp frowned. “Like a bellybutton?”</p>
<p>“It’s what they use as a greeting,” said Zoro, before he could stop himself. He felt several eyes staring at him, but then Conis approached closer, still smiling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you from the Blue Sea?” she asked. “Welcome to Skypiea’s Angel Beach!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She was holding the little white fox, calm and angelic, and Zoro reminded himself that they would be able to trust her. Eventually. “My name is Conis, and this is Suu. If there’s anything I can do to assist you, please let me know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, you see, your gaze is setting my heart on fire—”</p>
<p>“<em>Move</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And what kind of day would it be if Zoro <em>didn’t</em> end up having to jump in the water after Luffy started drowning?</p>
<p>“Why would you jump in <em>too</em>?” Usopp was grumbling, pulling Chopper onto the beach.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They went back to Conis’s house, Nami off riding the waver to Luffy’s extreme dismay, where she explained the dials, the forbidden Upper Yard, and their all-seeing God Enel. Zoro scoffed. He’d likely be a little bit more lenient if he’d never met the guy before.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’d forgotten about the dumbass White Beret’s and their inane rules, and Zoro was tempted just to cut them down already and get over it, but he figured that it was easier just to do what Zoro thought he was supposed to do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Which would eventually involve beating up Skypiea’s version of marine fodder.</p>
<p>“You do realize there’s no persuading him, don’t you?” Zoro asked, as they all began to board the ship. “Even if we all get together and protest, he won’t listen.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami moaned loudly, shaking her head. “I guess we’ll just have to wait for Luffy and the others, then,” she said, as Chopper brought the anchor up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“They’ll find us, don’t worry.”</p>
<p>Nami slowly turned and swiveled her head, Chopper gave him a wide-eyed blink, and Robin tilted her head at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Three voiced echoed. “They’ll find us?”</p>
<p>Wait, what was the plan again? Zoro was too busy thinking about what was actually going to happen—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“When we’re in the Upper Yard.”</p>
<p>“But—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was like there was a small explosion underneath them, the clouds lapping up against the ship. Chopper shrieked and was flung backwards.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What was <em>that</em>?!”</p>
<p>“It’s…” again, Zoro’s brain refused to supply what the original plan was. Catching some current? “It’s how we’re getting to the Upper Yard, isn’t it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“BACKWARDS?!” Nami yelled, leaning over the ship. “Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji-kun are still with Conis!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not controlling it!”</p>
<p>“What’s <em>it</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘It’ was a massive lobster, bigger and faster than the one which had brought them to the White-White Sea, with the name GOD on its head, wearing their boat like a hat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the hell is going on?!” Nami turned on Zoro. “Why didn’t you say something if you knew?!”</p>
<p>“I thought it would take us where we want to go!”</p>
<p>“HOW?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It seems there’s a pack of large, hungry fish chasing us,” said Robin calmly. “So, it doesn’t appear that we can simply abandon ship. I believe it has already started.”</p>
<p>“Heaven’s judgement,” breathed Nami, sinking to the floor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nothing we can do about it now,” said Zoro. “We were going to cross paths with this God anyway, it’s just how it goes.”</p>
<p>“Is it?” asked Robin mildly, while Nami made another distressed sound.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t answer her directly, still staring out at the rapidly approaching island. “It’s the smell of adventure, isn’t it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ship was left on the sacrificial altar, Chopper was learning what the word “sacrifice” meant, and Zoro felt him fall before he actually did.</p>
<p>Chopper was rolling down the stairs, and Robin’s hands caught him at the bottom. Zoro jumped, remembering the enormous sky shark that was going to appear <em>now—</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“Zoro! Zoro!” Chopper was shrieking, but Zoro had been itching for a fight since Alabasta and he didn’t even need to use his swords except to get the creature into the perfect position…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Even underwater, this thing was too weak. Zoro scoffed and made contact with his fist, punching it into the air.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Guess swimming’s out of the question,” he said, almost too cheerfully, walking back up the stairs. It had only taken a few seconds.</p>
<p>“Aren’t you supposed to be a swordsman? What happened to your so-called swordsman pride?”</p>
<p>"You’re so strong, Zoro!” Chopper’s eyes were flashing stars, and Zoro felt a little beat of warmth. It’d been a while since the little guy had so openly idolized him like that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was nagging but tossed him a dry shirt anyway. “I wonder if keeping us here to starve is Heaven’s Judgement,” said Robin mildly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Think you can work on the ship, Chopper?”</p>
<p>“Oh? Me? Okay!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What are you planning to do?” asked Nami.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I want to go into the forest,” said Zoro. “We can make the ship the middle of things, so someone needs to stay with it. Especially since Luffy and the others are heading this way. Y’know, the whole thing about staying in one place when you’re lost.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami made a face. “You’re one to talk.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ne, Zoro? What are you going to do on the island?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro considered that. He was primarily going because staying on the ship didn’t seem very interesting but also because he knew he was supposed to go into the forest. “God’s on this island, right?” he said, instead. “I’d like to meet him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro….is more arrogant than God,” whispered Chopper fervently while Nami rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>“You’re not supposed to <em>anger</em> God, that’s just common sense!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sorry,” said Zoro, lip twitching. He’d think this way even if he didn’t know that Enel was just another human—a powerful human, with an overpowered fruit, but still human. “I’ve never prayed to God.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper was glowing, Nami looked like she was torn between strangling him and bowing before Enel himself, and Robin was still distracted by the inscriptions in stone. Oh, that was another reason to go into the forest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re so cool, Zoro!”</p>
<p>“God, I swear, I don’t know him, don’t punish me too!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro laughed as Robin approached him. “Do you mind if I come along too, swordsman-san?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sure,” said Zoro. “As long as you don’t get in my way.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin looked amused by the idea, before turning back to the wall, explaining its history aloud to Nami and Chopper. “A place this old is bound to have some incredibly interesting relics,” she said, but for tilting a head towards Nami. “And, some jewel shards may be very useful for our ship.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m going too!”</p>
<p>“Eh?! Didn’t you just say you were scared?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Things went…about as Zoro expected. It would’ve been less trouble, or at least less noisy if only Robin had come along, but Nami’s eyes had turned into berries and had even made it across the shark-infested river without using the call of bravery.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Although after she nearly fell again, Zoro was feeling much less charitable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Forget it! I’m not crossing the river again, no way!”</p>
<p>“If you’re so scared, why’d you come?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They glowered at each other, Zoro had forgotten how much she could get him riled up, until Robin calmly interjected. “Say, this ground…it’s dirt.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course it is,” said Nami.</p>
<p>Robin looked blankly at her. “We’re on a sky island.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was the whole issue though, wasn’t it? The whole bit about the liar and what the people were fighting over. “Well, it’s what came up from before, isn’t it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Instantly, Zoro knew he’d made a mistake. Shit, he’d said it without even thinking, how the hell was he supposed to explain this one? Especially to <em>Robin</em>, who was giving him such a deeply intense look. He’d fucked up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What are you talking about?” asked Nami.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh,” said Zoro, because <em>shit</em> what was he supposed to say? “Isn’t that probably what happened to an island that was down below? If the Knock-Up Stream exploded underneath land?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were both staring at him now, Nami disbelieving and Robin definitely intrigued. “No way,” said Nami. “How would the land would stay in one piece?!”</p>
<p>“That’s a very interesting theory, swordsman-san,” said Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her expression would be difficult to read if Zoro hadn’t seen it several times before. She was evaluating him shrewdly, looking at him carefully and with greater scrutiny than she had before. Because, Zoro realized, she hadn’t really needed to determine his strengths and weaknesses before. On the ship, unlike before (<em>before?</em>), he hadn’t protested her joining but hadn’t gotten involved, either. And here Zoro was, presenting himself as a mystery that needed to be investigated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro shrugged but felt a tenseness in his shoulders. He needed to be more careful, unless he wanted to struggle through an explanation of ‘oh, and I somehow gained psychic powers overnight, no idea how or why.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Neither of them brought it up again, though, and eventually Nami was convinced into very slowly crossing over the river, taking miniscule steps.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is there any way you could move faster?”</p>
<p>“Shut up! What’s going to happen if I fall?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Like magic, a sky shark jumped out of the water and Zoro sighed, hearing Nami yell as she slipped off the log. Robin would catch her; she was good at that. “Stupid fish,” he muttered, slicing it easily.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yo,” Zoro called down, returning Wado to its sheath. “You okay?”</p>
<p>“S-somehow.” She collapsed after they crossed, kneeling towards Robin. “Sorry for causing you so much trouble.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No problem.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They continued to walk, Zoro trying to stay as far away from Robin as possible. Nami was louder, but also less likely to guess that something was going on.</p>
<p>Even if that did mean he had to listen to her complain. Mostly about him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They came across a well that had captivated Robin’s interest to the point where she didn’t seem like she was about to ask him any questions, which almost made Zoro more nervous, as Nami scouted up from above.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, Nami? Do you see anything?!” Zoro called up. She didn’t answer, and he felt a faint prickle of worry before looking through his cloudy thoughts (<em>why was so much of this forgettable?</em>) and placing their meeting with “God” at a later time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It would be alright.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>An explosion rattled the forest, sending some birds flying out of the trees. “What was that?” asked Nami, looking over her shoulder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There were some explosions earlier,” said Robin. “But this seems different.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where are you trying to get us to go, Nami?” asked Zoro, feeling a wave of irritation. She’d looked confused when she came down from the tree, like she was trying to make up her mind about something.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I…” She hesitated, like she was about to say it was none of their business. “Well, it’s your fault for putting the thought into my head.”</p>
<p>“Mine?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami pursed her lips, managing to have some sense of pride after slipping for the hundredth time. “Yes, yours. Now like I said, let’s get to the coastline!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a battle close-by, even as Nami forced her way closer to the waves. Zoro didn’t pay it much attention, they’d get more than involved soon enough, but he did wonder about the explosion. Was that Luffy and the others with one of the priests? Was it Chopper and Merry? He did feel bad (<em>granted, he’d only remembered after they left</em>) about the ship getting targeted, but it was good for him to be able to stand for himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I do hope everything’s alright.”</p>
<p>“With Chopper? Don’t worry too much, when push comes to shove he can protect himself.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin shook her head slightly as they watched Nami struggle ahead. “More about our captain. I’m sure he didn’t just sit quietly after we got kidnapped.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Definitely not,” said Zoro. “I’m sure he’s having lots of fun. He wanted to come here anyway.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He meant that fully, too. Even if they hadn’t been kidnapped, he had no doubt that Luffy would end up in the Upper Yard, fighting the priests and Enel himself. It was like a strange sort of destiny, intertwining Luffy and Island and Quasi-Dictator and ending with a fight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“She’s certainly moving quickly.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” grumbled Zoro. “Where’d all this energy come…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then he stopped. Because Nami had stopped and Robin had stopped, and they were looking back between him and the object they’d been looking at up until this morning. His theory, if he could even call it that…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I guess I really did see it,” said Nami, touching the old stone. “I can’t believe you were <em>right</em>.”</p>
<p>“Hey,” said Zoro, but without much force behind it. It was a little more than a lucky guess.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It had been bugging me,” said Robin. “This ground is something that shouldn’t exist here. That Upper Yard must have at one point existed in the Blue Sea.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was nodding. “And that house was so strange, built on the cliff like that with stairs leading up but no second floor. Then this island…was really part of Jaya! And the city of gold…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her eyes started gleaming, mouth curving up into a smile, and Zoro couldn’t help but smile, too. They <em>were</em> pirates, weren’t they?</p>
<p>“It’s been flying in the sky this whole time! Thank you, God!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Finally, the crew was reunited. The love cook was yelling about going through ‘the ordeal of love’ to get there, Usopp was shouting about being there to rescue them, and Luffy had happily pummeled several sky sharks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’d built a large campfire, grilling the sky shark meat, smoke billowing up into the sun-stained sky. It had been a long-ass day, and Zoro leaned backwards, taking it all in. Most people didn’t even have the chance to do something like this once, and here he was doing it <em>twice—</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook and Chopper both mentioned <em>Mantra</em>, which was what they seemed to call Observation Haki. That was fine, Zoro could deal with it. Enel’s did seem to be a particularly powerful version, though.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shishishi,” Luffy grinned broadly. “The city of gold is here, huh?! That’s the kind of adventure I was waiting for!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I was hoping you’d say that,” said Nami, also smiling wryly. Robin chuckled at Chopper and Usopp’s sudden fear.</p>
<p>“Well, as pirates, we can’t exactly back away when there’s treasure involved.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sounds fun,” said Zoro, and even though he knew things were about to get much worse, he fully meant it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They made preparations to camp out overnight, gathering herbs and vegetables with Chopper in the forest, and somehow Zoro got himself roped into holding a burning stone above his head with his swords.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t think my swords are supposed to be used like this…”</p>
<p>“Quiet! Or you won’t get any.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was whining about being hungry, getting kicked over the head by the cook in the process, and Zoro wandered off to find Usopp, who’d nearly swam across the shark-infested river. He chuckled slightly, grabbing Usopp’s shoes and walking after him back to the camp.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It felt really warm. Another wave of nostalgia passed over him, as Luffy got yelled at for being too loud and the cook literally threw a bowl of soup at Zoro and Nami showed them the completed map of what Jaya looked like hundreds of years before. They were just pirates hunting for treasure.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s getting late,” said Robin. “We should put out any unnecessary fires. They’ll only reveal our location to the enemy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp and Luffy looked at each other and started to chuckle, in a way that would’ve been sinister if Zoro didn’t know what they were going to say. “How foolish. Did you hear that, Usopp? She wants to put out the fire.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s not her fault,” said Usopp. “She’s lived in darkness until now. She just doesn’t know.”</p>
<p>Robin’s brow furrowed, like they were about to say something earth-shattering. “What do you mean?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re always supposed to have a campfire!” Luffy wheezed, hitting the ground with his fists.</p>
<p>Usopp was choking with laughter. “The desire to have a campfire when camping at night even if you’re on your last legs, is what makes one human!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re the idiots!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s lip twitched as he brought the wood pile closer. Chopper was translating for one of the wolves that, if his mind was telling the truth, would soon be dancing with them. Traveling with Luffy was always weird, but this was particularly weird.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He sat off to the edge, the heat of the fire rising up and warming his face even at his distance. He wouldn’t dance or yell gold into the sky, but he would accept the drink offered to him, feeling satisfied as it burned slightly going down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was drinking with the wolves, her face red and moves relaxed. Gan Fall was talking with Robin, and Zoro vaguely remembered that he’d once been a part of that conversation, but he was further away this time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bottle. Lip. Fire. Bottle.</p>
<p>Watching everyone dance and laugh loudly in the smoke-filled night. Usopp, Luffy, and the cook were tossing Chopper up into the air.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro let a small smile hang on his lip before he thought about what was to come. This night was safe, but Enel would be coming. The priests would be coming. The giant python would be coming. But also gold, which was always exciting. And the promise of being able to fight more enemies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why are you all the way over here?” Nami approached, slurring only a little, a warm blush on her cheeks.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh? Just drinking.”</p>
<p>“Not dancing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grunted. “Not much of a dancer.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah,” Nami leaned back, still looking at him carefully, her eyes gleaming slightly. “You know, you’re not off the hook.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“For being such a good guesser,” said Nami, and Zoro stiffened. It wasn’t that he thought he couldn’t trust the others, but what was he supposed to say? The whole thing seemed inexplicable, and Zoro wasn’t about to try to explain it to Nami of all people.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He hadn’t thought she would pick up on it, but she had been there for all of his little mistakes, and the witch could be perceptive when she put her mind to it. Still, he thought Robin would’ve said something first.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Except, he’d actively avoided being near Robin, hadn’t he?)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not sure what you’re talking about.”</p>
<p>“So, we’re going to do this the hard way, huh?” Nami leaned back against the root of a tree. “No one keeps secrets on this ship forever, you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There, Zoro had to laugh a little. She really had no idea how right she was. This secret, though? A little different than being hunted by the World Government or chased by shitty, assassin siblings. “Let me know when you figure it out, then.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She frowned but didn’t move, content enough at least just to look up at the moon above them. “Seems like we’re closer, doesn’t it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t answer, the alcohol and tiredness buzzing at him to go to sleep. The night before he’d run and watched Luffy punch an asshole in the face; it was hard to believe they’d only been here a day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He closed his eyes and faded into sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>The world was dark and throbbing and painful</em>, and his throat was burning painfully, wet with blood and dry at the same time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fear pounded in his chest, trying to get him to wake up. Wake up to what, though? If he opened his eyes he’d be—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Nineteen, two eyes, Yubashiri.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Twenty, bleeding eye, </em>
  <em>Shusui.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Twenty-one, one eye, Enma.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>He was still missing something,</p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>And then the voice got closer, the figure materialized where he never had before, towering above him.</p>
<p>
  <em>“This is all the damage that was inflicted on him.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro gasped, his heart frantically trying to escape from his ribs. This was it, this was how he was going to die—<em>no</em>, he wasn’t going to die unless Mihawk killed him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Mihawk, enemy, cutting him in half.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Mihawk, teacher, begging to become stronger—</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“Are you sure this is working?!”</p>
<p>“It’s risky but,” He knew that voice, as it gained some confidence. “It’s got a good chance—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His head was spinning, the thoughts trying frantically to take root (<em>they’d been sharing space for so long</em>), but his eyes (<em>eye?</em>) was still refusing to open.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The deep, clenching pain in his heart was beginning to fade. His throat still felt raw, his arm and chest both still protesting loudly, but he could feel that the sleep coming towards him wasn’t the sudden blackness of unconsciousness but the real thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“—looks good—”</p>
<p>“—the idiot—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Still alive, huh?”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Oi, are you still alive?!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>His lips moved to answer like they had before, but this time they <em>worked</em>. “Fuck off,” Zoro muttered, and he could hear a familiar laugh before the voices faded completely.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro woke up feeling cold, a small headache knotting near his neck. Like he was missing something.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The dream was still fresh, and under the dark, hazy sky, Zoro knew that dream wasn’t really the right word. Calling it a prophecy seemed like bullshit, though.</p>
<p>He took out his notebook, finding the next blank one. He’d heard the voice before, asking him if he wanted to go on a vacation, but he still couldn’t <em>remember</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Bear </em>and <em>Warlord</em> and <em>Exchange</em> and <em>PAIN</em>, pain blocking out what happened and who the figure was, pain searing itself into his muscles and bones. He started to draw before he could stop himself, as if guided along by some higher force, the giant paw print and looming—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Kuma.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Kuma. Zoro set the page down, suddenly tired again. And Usopp was going to ask him to go to the bathroom with him, the damn coward. He smiled a little though, feeling each presence beating steady. One, two, three, four, five, six.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Seven, eight, nine</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Soon,’ Zoro told himself, without knowing exactly who was missing. ‘Soon.’</p>
<p>He leaned against his swords and fell asleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Things are getting iiiiinteeeeresssting.......love hearing your thoughts and feedback!</p>
<p>Up Next: Zoro wakes up. He's not having a very good day.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>‘Luffy,’ he thought, hearing Nami cry out. ‘Where the hell are you?’</p>
<p>The blackness overtook him, shuddering through him violently, </p>
<p>And<br/>Something<br/>Changed.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zoro had forgotten about Merry being fixed. Well, if he’d thought about, it would’ve come to him. After all, none of them had re-attached the main mast.</p>
<p>“There sure are nice people out there!” said Luffy cheerfully, apparently unconcerned about how the ship magically fixed itself overnight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro remembered, though, hearing it from Usopp and then Franky later. Ships that were so well-loved they formed a kind-of spirit, one that would step in and help the ship take one, final journey when its days were numbered. This was a warning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But, he stayed quiet. After Nami, he needed to be much more careful. At least until he figured out what was going on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s got me wondering,” said Usopp. “How did the person know what Merry originally looked like? Without a crest or wings or tail?”</p>
<p>These were all good questions. And Zoro kept his mouth shut, only protesting when Chopper swung from the long rope and hit him in the face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What are you loafing around for?!”</p>
<p>“You’re not curious, Nami?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami shrugged. “It’s fixed, isn’t it? Unless you want to go and thank them?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How convenient for her to be uninterested in <em>this</em>. Zoro sighed, leaning against the rail. They managed to get Merry off the sacrificial alter, some Usopp-derived plan that involved a screaming Chopper being used as sky shark bait (and it even <em>worked</em>). And then it was time to split up, two groups that were supposedly going to meet up and escape the island easily with a bunch of gold.</p>
<p>They would get to that eventually.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro still had a chill creeping on his skin from whatever the hell he was dreaming the night before. It was disjointed, fragments in the quickly-filling notebook, but the name <em>Kuma</em> made his hands itch. Whoever the guy was, he was bad news.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The forest was mostly quiet, but Zoro was quietly keeping an eye on the enormous snake disguised as foliage next to them. Should he cut it down now? Was it going to be helpful later? Something in his gut told him it would be—</p>
<p>“Chopper?” asked Zoro. “Why do you keep looking behind you? Is it the snake?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shit, he <em>really</em> needed to work on blurting things out.</p>
<p>“Snake?!” asked Luffy, interest immediately perked. “Those weird roots?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I thought it was just my imagination!” cried out Chopper, as the python reared its head in front of them, bigger than Zoro thought it would be.</p>
<p>“I wonder if the size is a result of this island’s environment,” commented Robin calmly, and Luffy was cackling with laughter, swinging from the trees like a monkey.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was really just entirely too big, with its stupid catfish face and poisonous teeth and <em>speed</em>, and that’s why Zoro justified somehow getting separated from everyone else. Knowing them, they’d probably gotten lost.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He had to fight some goat soldiers and and some guy with two very shiny guns, but none of it was very difficult and Zoro didn’t have to worry about holding back. Which was <em>great</em>.</p>
<p>“Nothing personal,” Zoro had told him, as he lay stunned on the ground. “I’m not the type of guy who’ll die after being told to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not by any Shandian, not by anyone.</p>
<p>And it really wasn’t personal, of course the Straw Hats just happened to arrive at the same time the civil war bubbled over. It was very typical of them.</p>
<p>The boxed lunch the cook made was god, even though Zoro would never say it to his face. But as he was eating, he looked up and saw a giant <em>too familiar</em> bird looking at the food mournfully. “No,” he said shortly, continuing to eat. “And this isn’t happening again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>…He would never tell any of the others as long as he lived. To get picked up and dropped by that damn South Bird not just once but <em>twice</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Twice?)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What are these, ruins?” Zoro grumbled, picking himself up from the rubble. He was officially not in a good mood.</p>
<p>Gods and prophecies and priests, it was such bullshit Zoro couldn’t help but laugh a little bit. He was pretty sure at this point Luffy was still stuck in the snake (for fuck’s sake), but apparently a glitch in Observation Haki was if a person crawled into a fucking animal, so although Zoro couldn’t sense him, it meant Enel couldn’t either.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And as much as Zoro would love to cut God, he knew that fight belonged to Luffy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wyper was an annoying ass, and as much as Zoro sympathized, it would be super great if he could focus on attacking the <em>priest</em> and not him. Because Zoro was interested in getting all of this over as soon as possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Die, Blue Sea Man!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Can’t you attack on the enemy you’ve been trying to kill for years?!” shouted Zoro, avoiding another shot. “I don’t want to fight you!”</p>
<p>“Coward,” sneered Wyper, and Zoro fought the urge to cut him in half. He was a powerful enemy, sure, but they should really be focusing on—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The snake let out a loud moan that was probably the result of having one Monkey D. Luffy in its stomach, crashing into a building and dripping venomous saliva.</p>
<p>“I hammered bipedal walking and boxing into him!” said the priest, whose dog had just tried to punch Zoro. “Savor his attacks thoroughly!”</p>
<p>The snake started thrashing again, the stupid priest tried to set barbed wire traps against him (<em>one</em> <em>point for Observation Haki</em>), Chopper was unconscious, the giant dog was picking its fucking nose, and Wyper was still trying to shoot them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fuck this island,” Zoro declared, unsheathing his blade.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was a little hazy on the exact details that had gotten him to this. Ohm was lying on the ground, bleeding and defeated, and although Zoro’s muscles were loudly complaining about it, he’d performed several attacks that should’ve been beyond him.</p>
<p>Good. He needed to get much stronger.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He spit out some of the bloody saliva pooling in his mouth, and the iron, salty taste felt like an old, battle-tested friend. Kitetsu was pleased. The fighting had made all of his thoughts sit back, allowing instinct and training to take over, rather than pestering him with information he’d forgotten.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Forgotten?)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Blood gathered in his bruised left eye. “Still need more training,” said Zoro aloud, to no one in particular. He’d also managed to remember to tell the dog to knock itself unconscious.</p>
<p>It was perhaps because of these good feelings that he’d ended up still crashing down from the Upper Ruins because right, Enel was a <em>lunatic</em>, but a least thankfully he’d been able to grab Chopper faster. Then where was—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Swordsman-san!”</p>
<p>“Stupid…God…” Zoro winced, his arms and legs definitely injured. But at least Robin—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“I hate manipulative women.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“Don’t tell me you fell all this way,”</p>
<p>Zoro grunted loudly. “Almost killed me.”</p>
<p>“A normal person would’ve been killed,” said Robin, rather deadpan. “The snake appears to have followed you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy’s in the snake. Nami, too. Or…” Zoro frowned, searching. He could sense Nami nearby. “No, she’s out. But Luffy’s still inside. Can’t imagine the snake likes that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin didn’t look like she had the words to properly respond to that, instead giving him a single eyebrow-raised look. “Interesting.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“She’s a woman!”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro swallowed down the fear that bubbled up in his chest and readied himself. Because if his thoughts were correct, Enel was coming for them. And he had Robin, Chopper, and Nami to shield from the survival game that they were getting thrown into.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thinking of Enel’s face, with his stupid sneer and stupid earlobes, Zoro gripped his swords tighter. This was Luffy’s fight. Enel wasn’t a god, but he had what could be considered one of the strongest Devil’s Fruits and the Observation Haki to back it up. It was sheer luck that Luffy was his natural enemy, somehow finding a way to counter his opponent’s haki. It would be a fight Zoro might not win.</p>
<p>But the <em>look</em> on his face if he got cut by a mere, <em>human’s</em> blade for the first time? It was a hard image to give up. Who knew, Zoro thought, drawing his blade. He might not have the luxury of avoiding a clash anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On the list of things Zoro was extremely interested in avoiding was being struck by lightning ever again. He was only blurrily aware of the pain, he could hear someone screaming beside him, the sharp smell of the air.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Ozone</em> and <em>bright light</em>. Made him think of another island, too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’d gotten in his hit, after all, and the look of surprise and rage was worth it for a few second before he started smell hair and skin on fire and realized a little belatedly that he was definitely not immune to lightning.</p>
<p>The pain was searing through him now, his blood was just a wave of flames, his muscles were exhausted beyond reprieve, it was agonizing, it was <em>too much</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Luffy,’ he thought, hearing Nami cry out. ‘Where the hell are you?’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The blackness overtook him, shuddering through him violently,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And</p>
<p>Something</p>
<p><em>Changed</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>WANO</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro woke up. He was in a bed, bandages wrapped around his arms and torso, the softly familiar scent of antiseptic and cotton pads filling the air. A distant pain throbbed in his chest, but it wasn’t sharp and didn’t feel like it was <em>immediately</em> going to kill him, so he ignored it, instead focusing on his surroundings.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wait.</p>
<p>This wasn’t the Going Merry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fear and alarm spiked, and he desperately tried to remember the last thing he was doing. They were going to Alabasta, Luffy had run ahead like a moron and they were trying to find him, but then the marines showed up alongside that girl who looked like Kuina…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But he was sure they made it back to Merry. The Whitebeard pirate…no, Luffy’s <em>brother</em>, that’s right, he’d held off Smoker and they’d made it safely onto the ship with plans to sail and then cross the desert.</p>
<p>So, what the hell happened? Had he been knocked out in a fight?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro slowly sat up, wincing a little, taking another look around the dark room he was in. It seemed like some kind of medical bay, and he wasn’t handcuffed or tied up, which was a good sign.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was then that he realized he was only seeing about half of the room. Holy shit, his <em>eye</em>—</p>
<p>He couldn’t open it. Why couldn’t he open his left eye? Fingers shaking slightly, Zoro gently touched his eyelid, feeling a long scar that stretched from his cheek to well above his eyebrow. <em>Shit</em>. It didn’t hurt, which Zoro thought was pretty strange for eye injuries, but that didn’t help quell the panic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The next spike of fear—where was everyone else? Luffy, Nami, the cook, Usopp, Chopper, Vivi, the duck, Portgas D. Ace…</p>
<p>He could’ve sworn he was <em>just</em> talking to all of them, feeling the intense sun baking them on top of Merry. But now he was here, wherever here was, strangely and uncomfortably alone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The door flung open. “Zoooo-rooooo!” A pair of rubbery arms flung their way inside, and Zoro’s frantically beating heart calmed slightly and then increased again because <em>why was there a giant scar on his captain’s chest, had that been there before?!</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Except it was clearly old scar tissue, not some new injury, so how exactly had Zoro not noticed?</p>
<p>“Oh, this?” Luffy pointed to a few bandages on his chest that was definitely not the enormous, X-shaped gouge that Zoro was interested in. “Eh, just one of the stupid samurai. You’re finally awake!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Finally?” Zoro asked, his voice a little hoarse as he spoke.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy sat cross-legged at the edge of the bed. “You were asleep <em>forever</em>, and Sanji’s mad at you and Chopper’s mad too, and Trao-guy is mad because our plan got slowed down—”</p>
<p>Zoro was reasonably certain he didn’t know anyone named “Trao-guy”, but Luffy did have the tendency to nickname people. In any case, Luffy apparently hadn’t noticed his eye (or lack of eye) either, which was kind of weird—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro!” Chopper ran in, looking at him accusingly. “Luffy, why didn’t you say he was awake?!”</p>
<p>“Shishishi, I just came in!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper was already putting a thermometer in his mouth, fussing with a lot more confidence than Zoro was used to, and the small room started to fill up with more people, about half of which Zoro recognized while the other half…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi! Zoro-bro!”</p>
<p>“Zoro-san! Good to see you awake! Although I can’t <em>see</em> you, yohohohoho!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy started laughing, several others groaned, and all Zoro wanted to know was why a giant robot in a speedo and a skeleton with an afro were talking to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You were really irresponsible, you know,” said another familiar voice, and Nami was frowning at him, except this Nami somehow managed to grow her hair much longer, but the glare was what he’d come to expect.</p>
<p>“Oi, Nami, he <em>did</em> save your life—”</p>
<p>“Shut it!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When did Usopp get a fucking six-pack?! Zoro’s head was spinning. This had to be some bizarre, hyper-realistic dream, there was literally no other explanation. He was missing an <em>eye</em> which no one seemed to notice or care about (was it just pity?), there was a <em>robot</em> and <em>skeleton</em>, both way too big to be allowed—he hadn’t even noticed the giant blue fishman or the dark-haired woman beside him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your blood pressure seems to be worsening,” said Chopper, looking at the dial on the cuff Zoro hadn’t even noticed him put on. “Ah, too many people!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm, guess you’re not as youthful as you used to be, marimo.”</p>
<p>“<em>Sanji</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But the cook came closer, and okay Zoro hadn’t meant to snort as loudly as he did, but this only proved that he was having some kind of fever dream. There was absolutely no way his <em>both</em> his eyebrows looked <em>that </em>stupid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh?” The cook frowned, the swirl scrunching up, and Zoro only laughed louder. “What’s the matter with you?”</p>
<p>“Y-your stupid eyebrow—” Zoro managed to choke out, and then suddenly there was a leg coming towards him as Chopper yelled, “<em>Sanji</em>, he’s <em>injured</em>—”, Luffy was cackling madly, and Nami let out a long-suffering sigh, muttering “Well, at least he’s okay.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You dumb, shitty swordsman—”</p>
<p>“<em>Sanji</em>, stop yelling!”</p>
<p>“Unconscious for days and the first thing you say is—”</p>
<p>“SANJI!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s laughs turned to wheezes as the cook and Chopper kept arguing, and Usopp gave him a reprimanding look. “He <em>was</em> worried about you, you know.”</p>
<p>“I was <em>not</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The dark-haired woman chuckled before exiting the room, and Nami let out another exaggerated sigh before following. “I’ll come with you, Robin.”</p>
<p>Robin. The name didn’t ring a bell, didn’t suddenly allow him to make a connection. But, Zoro knew he’d never been good with names.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Go ahead and tell Law, Nami.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy jumped to his feet. “Zoro shouldn’t feel too bad,” he said seriously, although the shit-eating grin took away from the gravity. “I don’t like sneaky plans anyway.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s not a good thing,” Usopp hit him across the cheek as he laughed. “We’re up against <em>Kaido</em> you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The conversation continued around him and Zoro was beginning to lose focus of all the names people kept saying. Nothing about Alabasta or Crocodile or Vivi, even though that’s all they’d been talking about since Little Garden. Just a lot of people he’d never heard of.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re being too <em>noisy</em>,” Chopper said again, pushing whoever was remaining out of the room, Luffy included, until it was just the two of them and the quiet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You need to be more careful,” he said, giving Zoro a serious look. “How do your ribs feel? Your arms?”</p>
<p>“Fine,” said Zoro. Then, “Hey Chopper, about my eye—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> “Your eye?” Chopper leaned over and peered at it. “Does it hurt?”</p>
<p>“No, but—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper sighed. “You told me it was all healed when we came back to Sabaody, and you didn’t even let me <em>look</em>, if it’s bothering you now—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It doesn’t hurt,” said Zoro, somehow more confused than less. “I just wanted to make sure it…was still good,” he finished, lamely.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper didn’t look convinced, but gently touched the long scar anyway. “I would’ve done a better job stitching, you said it was that Perona girl who sewed it? Scary…” He shuddered. “But if it hasn’t been giving you any problems, nothing looks infected.”</p>
<p>Well…good. Zoro allowed the tiny doctor to continue his evaluation, checking his heart rate and temperature and the strange wounds underneath all of the bandages. He was still half-convinced he was dreaming, or at least hallucinating a little bit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It just seemed…well, it was impossible for him to get injured in a fight he didn’t remember having to wake up and see Nami with long hair, Luffy with that strange scar, Usopp with <em>biceps</em>, the cook and an eyebrow swirling in the wrong direction, Chopper’s weird hat, <em>plus</em> all the people he’d never seen—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re doing a lot better,” said Chopper, sounding almost pleased. “That <em>doesn’t</em> mean you can train Zoro, I mean it, everyone will be keeping an eye on you.”</p>
<p>“Okay, okay,” said Zoro warily, putting his arms up. Since when had Chopper gotten so pushy? Even in his head?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Did you…” Chopper’s voice trailed off for a second, before he shook his head. “Do you remember any of the stuff you were dreaming about? You kept trying to say something, but the only thing you could get out was ‘Ace.’”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace? Like, Luffy’s brother Ace? Zoro didn’t remember dreaming about him, although he sure would like to know where the fuck he was at the moment—‘It’s a dream,’ he told himself. ‘A dream. You’re dreaming right now.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmm, I don’t. Why?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, just…you know, no one ever talks about Marineford or Ace, and Luffy wasn’t in here so I don’t think he heard, but if you ever <em>did</em> want to talk about it…”</p>
<p>Zoro had the feeling Chopper was trying to be very sensitive for some reason, and he would probably appreciate it more if he had any idea what Marineford was. “Uh, thanks. I’m good right now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper nodded quickly. “I’ll get Sanji to make something,” he said. “But I’ll be back soon. And if you want people in here, that’s fine now, too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Great,” said Zoro. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>Chopper gave him an odd look before exiting the room, leaving it silent once more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro laid back down, the ache in his chest protesting a little. If this was a dream, it was much more vivid and realistic than anything he normally dreamed. It was also a little strange having any self-awareness at all, if he were dreaming.</p>
<p>But if he wasn’t…what explanation was there for things changing so drastically? Maybe they needed to disguise themselves for some reason, explaining the subtle changes in appearance. Maybe the people he didn’t recognize were some of the Rebel Army he heard about? Or other members of the Whitebeard Pirates?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He had been unconscious for a few days. Luffy’s chaos acted quickly—was it possible they’d already defeated Crocodile without him? Moving on to the next crazy island with a whole new set of problems?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe. It didn’t seem likely, but maybe. He wouldn’t ask too many questions, would play things slowly, supposing he was still in this strange room when he woke up.</p>
<p>Zoro put his head down onto the pillow. He didn’t remember dreaming about Ace, but he did remember an island made out of clouds. That seemed more pleasant to think about.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Unconscious for a few days, and he began to relax a little. It had taken just a few hours for a Pirate Hunter to become a member of the future Pirate King’s Crew. Things moved fast on the Grand Line, he couldn’t have missed <em>that</em> much, right?</p>
<p>And that was only if this wasn’t a strange, desert-induced dream. With that in mind, Zoro yawned and began to snore, unaware of exactly how wrong he was.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, Alabasta-Zoro has officially woken up on Wano! Who knew that getting hit with lightning would be the way to do it? As always, love to hear your thoughts!</p>
<p>Up Next: Time travel? What the fuck?!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Zooooooroooooo?!”<br/>“Mhm?”</p>
<p>Luffy bounded over, looking at him with an expression that was more contemplative than usual. Suddenly all of Zoro’s fears about Robin and Nami vanished in the face of the person he’d forgotten could read him better than anyone else, eyes that went straight into his brain, stripping away any of his defenses. Even if it wasn’t his Luffy.</p>
<p>“You’re different,” said Luffy, squinting, and Zoro held his breath. “But you’re still Zoro, so that’s okay.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>SKYPIEA</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a golden bell ringing across the entirety of Skypiea, echoing which each heavy hit of gold against gold, and Roronoa Zoro was having a crisis.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was twenty-one in his nineteen-year-old body, he was on an island made of clouds thousands of meters above the sea instead of in Wano where he was <em>supposed</em> to be, and the only explanation he could think of was fucking <em>time travel</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’d traveled nearly three years through time. <em>He’d traveled back in time</em>.</p>
<p>“What the fuck?” muttered Zoro out loud, and thankfully Wyper was too busy listening to the bell to listen to him. “What the <em>fuck</em>?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How was he just now figuring it out? Why wasn’t it immediately obvious when he’d suddenly woken up in Alabasta on a ship he hadn’t sailed on in years with a person who was <em>dead</em>?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It wasn’t just him, though. Zoro age twenty-one and Zoro age nineteen had been inhabiting the same body, same <em>mind</em> until a thousand volts of electricity woke him out of it, and those thoughts that he called ‘precognition’ became memories.</p>
<p>He was never seeing the future, just reliving the past. But nineteen-year-old Zoro was gone, his brain free from any mutiny. Just twenty-one-year-old stuck three years in the past with no idea how he’d gotten here or how to get back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A cold lump of nausea formed in his stomach, an uncomfortable chill of loneliness crept up his spine, and Zoro was afraid. He didn’t even know time travel like this was <em>possible</em>—hell, his only encounter with actual time travelers had shown him that when one version traveled the other version was gone forever. Momonosuke and the others had been declared <em>dead</em> when they traveled ahead to the future.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Did <em>his</em> crew think he was dead? Had he just suddenly vanished? Had they mourned, grieved the loss of a friend, loss of a fighter against Kaido and his men? Would they be able to continue?</p>
<p>‘They would,’ Zoro firmly sent that thought away. Of course they would continue, but it still made him feel queasy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then…if he didn’t stick to the script, didn’t let things play out exactly as they happened, would the future change? Would there be consequences that he couldn’t even dream of?</p>
<p>Fucking <em>time travel</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro groaned. This was much more complicated. At least he was—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro!” Chopper and Usopp had found him, running over. They looked so <em>young</em>, how had he not realized it? How could he have just thought it was some extended Observation Haki?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My treatment can wait,” he said finally, to answer Chopper’s incessant demands. “Before treating me, do something about that guy or he’ll die.”</p>
<p>Chopper’s eyes widened and he stumbled over. “You’re right!” he cried out, as if Zoro didn’t know that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook came over, and it took everything Zoro had not to comment on his eyebrow. He looked like <em>baby</em>, hair parted on the other side. “Oi, that’s one of the guerillas, we don’t owe him anything.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmm,” Zoro exhaled. He didn’t exactly like Wyper, but he knew why he was the way he was.</p>
<p>“What, do you feel sorry for him?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook looked like a <em>baby</em>. “I don’t know,” said Zoro instead, leaning his head backwards.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He felt age weighing on him, not that three years was very many, but it had been long, hard work, it had been loss, it had been going up against enemies that Enel would piss himself in front of, and this wasn’t his crew. This wasn’t the crew that went against the World Government, that trained for two years, that faced off against Admirals and Yonko.</p>
<p>This was the crew that <em>would</em> do those things. But they hadn’t yet, and Zoro felt old and out-of-place.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you done with him?” asked Zoro, as Chopper wrapped those damn bandages.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah. All he needs now is rest.”</p>
<p>“YOOOOOOOO!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was barreling towards them, and at least he looked mostly the same, sans of course the X-shaped scar in the middle of his chest. ‘Shit,’ thought Zoro, feeling a sudden coldness or maybe excitement. ‘Ace isn’t <em>dead</em>.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“NAMI-SWAN!!!! CONIS-CHWAN!!!!!”</p>
<p>Zoro sighed. And then there were some things that didn’t change.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They ate their fill, until the sky slowly turned dark. Robin was there quietly, and Zoro briefly wished that they could stay longer, just for her sake. The World Government didn’t seem interested in Skypiea. But now she had something worth living for, clues to achieving her dream. And the World Government could fuck right off, anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shall we go back to the ship now?”</p>
<p>“Nami, what’re you saying?!”</p>
<p>“That if we go back to the ship, we can have a long, relaxed sleep in a warm bed!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami had to be joking. Zoro shot a sideways look at Luffy and Usopp’s faces and readied himself for a bonfire and celebration a hundred times bigger than the one of the night before. Or, as far as he remembered it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>People were shouting with joy, dancing with each other, the heat of the fire rose up in an enormous plume of flames and smoke, the drinks were plentiful, and some people laughed and others cried as the celebration went on.</p>
<p>Zoro tried to feel some of that infectious relief, but there was only a stillness. He’d moved away from the party, distanced himself while keeping steady track of where everyone was. He didn’t want a repeat of Nami finding him before.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She might suspect, and Robin probably even more, but there was no way they would guess time travel. It was too strange, too unheard of, even for the Grand Line. So, at least he was safe there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Flipping through the notebook made him feel slightly ill. “Sabo? Kuma? Doflamingo?” Zoro ran his hands through his hair, looking at the jumble of words and thoughts. He didn’t need it anymore, but it would be nice to have somewhere else to document everything, just so he didn’t forget.</p>
<p>A wild shriek of laughter erupted from the fire below, and Zoro felt a pang in his chest. He couldn’t tell him…he couldn’t tell any of them, not until he figured things out more, but the idea of keeping something hidden from Luffy made him… well, he didn’t like to make a habit of it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But this was how it needed to be, putting away the old notebook and resolving to get his hands on a new one in the morning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi! There’s Zoro!” Luffy jumped up as Zoro approached, the rock where they’d all fallen asleep. Chopper and Usopp were already out, the cook and Nami were close, and Robin only gave a small smile as he approached.</p>
<p>“Yes, Captain.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy frowned slightly as he got closer but didn’t say anything else as Zoro made himself comfortable. He was tired, not just physically, but suddenly mentally as well, three years of extra memories stuffed in his brain. “Oh, Luffy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm?”</p>
<p>“If you wake me up in the middle of the night, I’ll kill you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The familiar <em>Shishishi</em> made the corners of his lips turn up, and Zoro fell asleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The Usopp factory will be running full steam!” Usopp was dancing around, bag full of shells and dials. “You know, Zoro, we could attach a Flavor Dial to your swords and it would make everyday training more enjoyable—”</p>
<p>“No, thanks.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was trying to train, discretely would be preferred, looking for gaps in his haki and strength. His haki was now behaving, but so many of his attacks relied on physical strength—he would definitely need to lift heavier weights.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’d been partying for a few days now, everyone in the spirit to celebrate the end of a long, bloody war, and Zoro had spent most of that time training. Hour after hour of rigorous exercise, arm curls and leg lifts and push-ups and sit-ups. He knew the techniques, understood the best angles to cut at, understood how to more effectively wield his blades, but he lacked the raw physicality he’d gained in the two years with Mihawk.</p>
<p>Every time he sensed any one on the crew coming, he packed up and moved somewhere else. It’d be hard enough to train properly when they were all close on the ship together, and if Zoro wasn’t mistaken, they would be leaving soon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy and the others had gone inside the snake to look for treasure, while Robin was off reading the guarded Poneglyph. Oh, and getting the rest of the gold that the Islanders wanted to give to them. Zoro eyed the rest of them, antsy and ready to run. Should he say…. nah, there was no way that much gold would fit on Merry anyway.</p>
<p>And besides, it would be less of a chance for them to get called <em>heroes</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro sighed, standing up to stretch. “I’m just going to go wait on the ship.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Idiot, don’t!”</p>
<p>“Idiot!”</p>
<p>“Idiot Marimo!”</p>
<p>“Marimo idiot!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay, so maybe he saw that coming and maybe it felt pretty good to just throw a few punches, Luffy cackling a demon in the background while Usopp complained and the cook yelled. “If you go into the forest alone you won’t make it three steps without getting lost!”</p>
<p>“I don’t get lost!”</p>
<p>“Like hell you don’t!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then they were off, running through the jungle to escape, and Zoro felt Robin come closer to him as they jumped through the foliage. “Is it okay not to tell them what we ran away from?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, we have more than enough—” Zoro stopped and frowned at her, realizing what she was implying. Her eyes sparkled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re a very good guesser, swordsman-san,” she said simply, and Zoro once again found himself internally grumbling about overly perceptive archaeologists and navigators.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They made it onto the ship, Zoro’s chest panging a little as he stepped onto Merry for the first time in years, ready to set sail again. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t hurt a little, especially knowing exactly how much damage would <em>further</em> be done.</p>
<p>“I see it! I see Cloud End!”</p>
<p>“Everyone, thank you!” Conis cried out, as she and her father ran alongside the ship. “We’ll never forget about you!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grinned and reflexively held onto the ship, even as they slid forward.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp frowned. “Oi, Zoro, why’re you—”</p>
<p>“Everyone! Be careful dropping!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A still shudder went through all of them, processing what Conis had just said. “While dropping…?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The plummet still took the air out of his chest, but at least Zoro was ready for it this time, even as the others let out a scream that left them hovering in the air. Before the strange octopus balloon took over, it felt almost like flying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro leaned against the mast, feeling the air cool and clean around him, an old friend whispering in his ear as he meditated. Five of the six pulses on the ship were vibrant, arguing with each other over what to buy with their windfall. The sixth pulse was still distant, away from the rest.</p>
<p>Foxy was waiting for them down below. Was there any way they could just…not go through the annoyance of a Davy Back Fight? Was it so important? And on that island anyway…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His blood stilled, thinking of Aokiji. Whispering a few words that would catapult them into the much worse disaster of Water 7. It hadn’t been pleasant going through one time, no doubt a second time around would be even worse…Usopp leaving, Robin leaving…</p>
<p>But they’d gotten so much stronger. Luffy had gotten stronger, learnt what it meant to be a captain, Robin had finally believed she was worth it, Usopp understanding his own place on the crew, their <em>bounties</em>, their <em>notoriety</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He would go along with things, for now. One island at a time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Please, continue to take good care of him.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Oiiii, Zoooorooooo!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro jerked up, a yell escaping his mouth. Had he fallen asleep?  He was vaguely aware of Nami and the cook yelling at him, but that was nothing new. “Oops, just a dream.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the hell is wrong with you?!”</p>
<p>“Shitty marimo!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Turning his head slightly to hide his chuckle, Zoro closed his eyes again. Maybe, if he were lucky, he’d sleep through the entirety of their encounter with the stupid Foxy Pirates.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He woke up after a surprisingly dreamless sleep to see the boat on the ocean once more, everyone completely drenched in water with Luffy and Chopper lying out on the deck panting, the octopus balloon gone revealing a deep, midnight-dark sky.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, we’re back.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt murderous rage leaking towards him, the kind he normally might run from except said people with rage were much too tired to actually do anything about it.</p>
<p>“I’m going to kill him,” muttered the cook, blond hair sticking to his face. He didn’t move, though. “Sorry, Captain.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You can’t kill my swordsman!” objected Luffy, though he didn’t move either. If Zoro had to guess, it would be that either he or Chopper had fallen overboard and the other had heroically leaped in to save them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mm, I’m with Sanji on this one,” said Usopp. “<em>How</em> did you sleep through us falling <em>into the ocean</em>?!”</p>
<p>“I dunno, we didn’t fall the whole way.”</p>
<p>“If we fell the whole way, we’d be dead!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro held back a laugh. He felt more refreshed than he had in a while, and it was also pleasant for a change not being horribly injured. The fight with Ohm and Wyper had definitely taken more out of him the first time around.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The ship was <em>flooded</em>,” continued Usopp, moving his hands lethargically. “There was water<em> everywhere</em> and you’re completely soaked.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Didn’t notice.”</p>
<p>“Nami-swan, please let me kill him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin was giggling, damn her, and had somehow come away from the whole ordeal looking as unruffled as ever. Zoro really should ask if it was some side effect of her Devil’s Fruit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No one’s killing my swordsman!”</p>
<p>“There was a <em>squid</em> attached to your <em>head</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Now that we’ve fallen, it’s so far up,” said Robin quietly, and Zoro felt himself agreeing. A dream happening twice-over.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s a dream land,” said Chopper happily. “I wonder if we can go visit again someday.”</p>
<p>Zoro wrung his shirt out. “You might be able to get closer if you die.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro, you think you’ll go to heaven?”</p>
<p>“Shut up!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, Nami?”</p>
<p>Zoro was covered in sweat, muscles fully exhausted, and Nami wrinkled her nose as he came closer but didn’t move. “Do you have any blank notebooks?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“For writing in?” Nami frowned. “It’ll cost you, you know.”</p>
<p>“Sure.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This time she made a bristling sound. “What do you even need a notebook for, anyway? All you’ve been doing since we landed is lift your stupid weights.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was, admittedly, true. Zoro had lifted lots of weights, among other things, but he was finally starting to see some improvements, some definition that hadn’t been there before. Still a long way to go, but at least he knew what he was working towards.</p>
<p>Therefore, notebook.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You know, poetry,” said Zoro, fighting to keep a straight face as Nami whipped her head around to stare at him. “Calligraphy. Landscape art.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami rolled her eyes. “When did you get sarcastic?” she said, handing him a thin notebook from the shelf. “And I mean it, it’s going to cost you—”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah,” Zoro waved his arm, walking back towards the men’s bunk.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He had forgotten that the witch had promised to figure out his secret. Of course, that was before he’d even known exactly what was going, but she could be smart when she wanted to be. And Zoro had no intention of anyone catching on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The room was empty, and Zoro started to write. Foxy Pirates, Water 7, Enies Lobby, Thriller Bark, Sabaody, The War of the Best, Kuraigana, Fishman Island, Punk Hazard, Dressrosa, Zou, Wano…</p>
<p>His life on paper. He filled in details, anything he might forget, while simultaneously wondering if he was really about to do it all over again. Everything over again. It made his stomach turn.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“One island at a time,” he said quietly, putting the old notebook deep inside a pair of shoes he didn’t wear anymore and putting the new one close to his waist. Like a strange cue, the door opened.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zooooooroooooo?!”</p>
<p>“Mhm?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy bounded over, looking at him with an expression that was more contemplative than usual. Suddenly all of Zoro’s fears about Robin and Nami vanished in the face of the person he’d forgotten could read him better than anyone else, eyes that went straight into his brain, stripping away any of his defenses. Even if it wasn’t his Luffy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re different,” said Luffy, squinting, and Zoro held his breath. “But you’re still Zoro, so that’s okay.”</p>
<p>“’Course I’m still Zoro.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy grinned, breaking the strange look from his face. “M’kay. Just checking. We’re <em>rich</em> now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We are,” agreed Zoro, even as the memories flooded in. The shipwright who would tell them that Merry would no longer make it, who would later turn out to be working as an evil government hitman; the Franky family, before Franky was an ally and a friend; Usopp…</p>
<p>Water 7 really was a shit-show, wasn’t it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A minuscule frown passed over Luffy’s face, and he looked like he was about to say something but a loud “Land spotted!” made him bolt out of the room, shouting about adventure.</p>
<p>Zoro watched him go, half amused nostalgia and half dread. This was going to be supremely aggravating.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How did we even get in this position?” Nami wondered aloud, glowering at no one in particular.</p>
<p>“We have a dumbass captain,” the cook answered back, lighting another cigarette and scowling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro had to agree there. Split-head’s voice was screechy and loud and absolutely the most annoying thing Zoro had ever heard. He refused to believe otherwise. “And he’s found another dumbass captain.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Despite off-handedly suggesting that they could just…skip this island, and despite his desire to stay with Merry instead of explore, and despite directly mentioning that they didn’t even <em>want</em> anyone the other pirates would have to offer, they still ended up in this goddam mess.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was a feral menace.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Such a dumbass.”</p>
<p>“Dumbass captain.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami hit Zoro over the shoulder. “You should’ve put a stop to this.”</p>
<p>“Me?!” Zoro scowled. “You think I can control what that idiot does?”</p>
<p>“Well, you should’ve tried!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro did remember what comes next, which is the stupid ball game, and the cook being difficult about being the ball-man. He considered just being the ball himself—with Observation Haki, surely it’s got to be easier, right? But that wouldn’t be nearly as fun.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sanji-kun!” Nami’s voice floated over. “You look so handsome as the ball!”</p>
<p>Immediately, the cook turned around, pink-faced and enthusiastic. “I will be the ball-man! No one is as worthy as me!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And somehow, despite the cook looking stupid as hell (maybe it’s the hair parted on the other side?), Zoro refrained from making a comment. He even remembered that they couldn't use weapons and gives his swords over to Usopp, telling him not to mess with them or else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, are you sure about this?” the cook asked, face scrunched up in fake concern as Zoro strode back over. “A swordsman without his swords is…well, what is he, then?”</p>
<p>Zoro felt the cook ready to jump, ready to try to kick him and burn up some of the energy being in these stupid games has given both of them. He was uninterested in fighting him, for the moment, though.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let’s get this over with,” he said instead, and the cook blinked at him for a split-second before his visible eye narrowed.</p>
<p>“Oi, I wasn’t the one—”</p>
<p><br/>“C’mon,” Zoro grinned widely with his teeth, the kind of smile that would send Usopp and Chopper running in the other direction,.</p>
<p>The cook looked at him, outward expression the same, but Zoro felt a flutter of confusion.</p>
<p>“Let’s get these fuckers.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Things went, easily, <em>much</em> better than the last time. Zoro was actually excited, now that he had to deal with it anyway, to have an enemy that he could just play with. They weren’t weak, but they weren’t strong either, and Zoro was ready to let loose a little.</p>
<p>And it was time to end things. “Cook?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was on the same wave-length, eyes narrowed and preparing his leg as Zoro ran towards him. And dammit if he had to admit it out loud, but they made a good team. </p>
<p>“Wh-wh-what?!” The announcer cried, as Zoro flew up in the air, propelled by the kick. He gripped his hands around the giant’s mouth, using more force than was <em>probably</em> necessary.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s right,” Zoro grinned, hearing the faint cheer of the rest of the crew watching, and they went down hard, slamming into the goal with enough force to knock the giant unconscious.</p>
<p>That’s right.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was watching him more closely now as Zoro returned, Luffy and the others cheering wildly, as they are announced the winners.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not bad for a swordsman without any swords.”</p>
<p>Zoro took said swords back from Usopp, who was too scared to even look at them let alone touch them. “Fuck you too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The horrifying painted flag was at least one good thing that came out of it by the end. Zoro had to look away to avoid laughing too much; it was just so stupidly ugly and Luffy was the only person on the planet who could come up with something that bad by accident.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But the Davy Back Fight was over, finally, and everyone began to set up camp along the beachy shoreline. To think, somewhere on that island was one of the Marine Admirals, just waiting for them…Zoro felt his hands start to sweat.</p>
<p>What was he supposed to do? Let things happen like they did before? Try to intervene? Just stay the hell out of the way? If everything went the way Zoro remembered it, they would all make it out alive, just two frozen statues that would eventually thaw. But to knowingly allow them to become frozen…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro groaned. This was too complicated. He settled for gathering food with the rest of them, trying not let his mind dwell over Marine-fucking-Admiral, because no matter how much stronger he could get, even in his older body, fighting an Admiral was pushing it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin! You should eat now!”</p>
<p>“Well, I’m almost done.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper frowned at her. “If you read too much, you’ll become a worm. That’s why it’s a bookworm, right?”</p>
<p>Robin giggled, and Zoro had the grim feeling that this might be her last time laughing in a while.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Unless you do something about it?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>What am I supposed to do?! Take out Aokiji myself?!</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>No, Robin’s problems weren’t just with Aokiji but the entire World Government. Even if they immediately sailed away, even if they skipped Water 7 altogether, it would continue to follow them. Unless they went on the offense.</p>
<p>“You look angry at the meat,” Usopp said jokingly, sitting close to him. “Is it just because Sanji made it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grunted in response, trying to clear the increasingly muddled thoughts from his head. Why did he have to be the one stuck with plans? He wasn’t even good at planning!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At least Usopp didn’t look like he was about to ask Zoro any more questions, instead just starting to talk about nothing in particular, boasting about some other (likely fictitious) camping excursion he’d been on.</p>
<p>It didn’t really get rid of the growing pit of dread in Zoro’s stomach, but it helped some.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Nothing you can do about it now,’ Zoro thought to himself, as Luffy loudly declared he wanted to see more of the island. As they went in, the thin line of a bicycle track was increasingly visible on the dark forest floor, and Zoro saw Robin’s eyes flicker in recognition.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Nothing you can do about it now.’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow, I really thought I posted this earlier this week. Oops, happy Monday!</p>
<p>Up Next: Zoro is on Wano and immediately is wrong about everything.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“This isn’t going to be like with Usopp, is it?” Luffy had found him, later that evening, just after Zoro had managed to find a notebook to write everything down in. He was feeling a little more confident—he’d stopped falling over and breaking things by accident, he knew everyone’s name on the ship, and even better, no one had said anything about him forgetting any major details. </p>
<p>“Usopp?”</p>
<p>Luffy was fidgeting. “Yeah, like Usopp and Water 7 with Sanji? ‘Cause we already talked about it and he said he was sorry and everything and he was only trying to protect us with the wedding and pudding.”</p>
<p>“Usopp and the cook’s wedding?” repeated Zoro blankly, unsure if he’d heard Luffy right. “They’re married now?”</p>
<p>That was an…interesting development.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Even for me, this chapter is ridiculous.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>WANO</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Zoro opened his eyes again, he was <em>not</em> back on the Going Merry, safe in the knowledge that everything was just a strange, incredibly realistic dream. Because he was still in the medical bay, and he was still missing a goddam eye.</p>
<p>“Fuck.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is everything okay?” Ah, Chopper was in the room, too. Hovering with a hat that just seemed too <em>large</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, yes,” said Zoro, starting to sweat. So, if it wasn’t a dream… “Just…my injuries,” he said lamely, and Chopper’s eyes narrowed.</p>
<p>“<em>You’re</em> complaining about your injuries?!”</p>
<p>“…no.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper threw his small hands up in the air and started muttering under his breath while Zoro sighed and submitted to another evaluation. “How long was I out again?”</p>
<p>“Four days,” said Chopper, giving him a look that was half admonishing half worried. “You’re healing much better than you were before.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro made a noncommittal noise. It seemed like the injury and cause-of-injury were supposed to be obvious, so Zoro didn’t ask, instead willing himself to sit up. “Can I walk around?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper looked surprised that he’d asked before frowning again. “You’re not going to go training, are you?!”</p>
<p>“Wasn’t planning on it, no,” said Zoro, a hint of irritation in his voice that he was <em>hoping</em> would make their newest crew member run away. Apparently, that was not the case.</p>
<p>“Let’s walk around, then.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro sighed but stood up, and instantly knew something else was wrong. He didn’t feel…bad, just different. Heavier.</p>
<p>‘Pain medication,’ he reasoned, following Chopper through the door. ‘Pain…’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the span of two seconds, Zoro managed to somehow trip and fall out of the door, and while trying to catch himself from going down, instead pulled a chunk of wood from the door frame, sending both him and Chopper down with a yell.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What the <em>hell</em> was going on?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What…?” Nami was staring at him, apparently lost for words. Zoro groaned and pulled himself to his feet, a dazed Chopper beneath him.</p>
<p>The cook was staring, too, making a face that was difficult to read, next to the blue-haired robot. Who was still wearing swimsuit bottoms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you drunk?” asked Nami blandly, and ah damn, her hair was still long. Well, who knew how fast girl’s hair grew? Maybe Nami was just constantly cutting her hair and finally decided that it was too time consuming.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sure, he could go with that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No,” said Zoro, trying to regain his footing. For feeling heavier than normal, he used a lot more strength than he meant to. “Just…tripped.”</p>
<p>“Tripped,” repeated the cook, still staring. The robot let out a pained moan. Did robots moan?</p>
<p>“You took a chunk out of Sunny! Not cool, Zoro-bro.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sunny….so, the name of the ship they were on? Zoro could work with that. Although, considering he <em>was</em> unconscious, it sure would be nice if someone would take the time to explain when and why they got a new ship. Unless…</p>
<p>“He’s always been a clumsy marimo,” the cook clicked his teeth together. “This is clumsier than normal, though.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Was it some sort of test? Some sort of strange competition to goad him into asking questions? Zoro narrowed his eyes; the cook had to be responsible for it, if it was. Although how did he manage to get everyone else to go along with it, too?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was possible Zoro was told these things and simply forgot. It wouldn’t be the first time, although it seemed like a lot for his memory to just disregard.</p>
<p>Memory loss?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shut up,” said Zoro. “Sorry, Chopper.” He was still holding the large chunk of wood in his hand, and he grimaced, looking at the hand-shaped dent he’d left behind. Shit, he’d really overdone it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The robot let out another moan, muttering loudly about swordsmen not respecting his ship. Was the robot their new shipwright, then? They did need one of those. Or maybe, he was the captain of another group they were currently riding with?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Things did not get any clearer. In fact, everything was just getting more complicated, and Zoro didn’t think he would <em>miss</em> running around Alabasta but it sure seemed easier than whatever the hell kind of mess Luffy had gotten them into this time.</p>
<p>As far as Zoro could tell, they were currently attempting to infiltrate a country with samurai dragons in order to kill the giant, emperor dragon that was eating the country’s food supply while also either attacking or defending some ninja rabbits. Someone had committed seppuku, someone else had been framed for murdering a bunch of people, and someone else had gotten beaten up by an army of straw puppets controlled by magic cards.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Zoro was sure that none of this made any sense, but he’d been unconscious, so what did he know?)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Also, there was some kid they were looking for which had to do with some important law that everyone needed to follow, which maybe someone had broken because the kid got imprisoned? But then Luffy mentioned being in a prison and “that girl” that Ace knew, so they could be the same person.</p>
<p>It didn’t help that everyone kept mentioning about hundred goddam different names that Zoro was absolutely sure he’d never heard of before. Luffy said some pineapple bird might come and everyone was losing their minds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But from what he could gather, the crew had split up at some point. Which, okay, made sense considering the sheer number of things that had somehow happened, but before this, the group he was <em>not</em> a part of had gone and seen somebody’s mother, or somebody’s father (or siblings? Lots of family relations had been thrown around) and it had something to do with cake, and Zoro figured since he actually hadn’t gone it was a good enough chance to ask some questions without seeming too stupid.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So,” Zoro was sitting in the medical infirmary, <em>again</em>, Chopper worrying about ‘years-worth-of-concussions’ for some reason. “How was the cake?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Whole Cake Island?” Chopper shuddered. “I liked all the treats at first, but it got scary really fast. The mirror land and Sanji’s scary brothers and big mom.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Huh. That was a weird way of wording it. The cook’s mom had to really be big, then. Maybe some kind of giant? It cleared a few things up, though. It was the <em>cook’s</em> weird-ass family. He must be the one who had a brother who could turn into mochi, then.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Just to make sure, though, Zoro unwillingly tracked the cook down a little later and asked the same question, as nonchalantly as he could.</p>
<p>The cook instantly looked wary. “I thought we’d gotten over this,” he said carefully, with a hint of…nervousness? Why the hell would he be nervous?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Me coming back.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, yeah,” said Zoro. What did the cook think the point of splitting up was? “I just was wondering how the cake was.”</p>
<p>The cook gave him a squinty look. “I didn’t eat any of it, but I’m sure it was tasty. It worked, didn’t it? Now back off, I’m making dinner for all of Luffy’s new friends.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, Zoro was a little confused, but it was in the name, wasn’t it? Whole Cake Island? A giant cake as an island seemed a little weird, but it made sense that the cook wouldn’t eat the same cake that a bunch of people were walking on. He wondered a little how it didn’t melt into the ocean, but this was the Grand Line, after all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro had also learned that the skeleton was named <em>Brook</em> and could play the violin, which meant Luffy had somehow achieved his goal of having a musician, and the robot was Franky, and the fishman was Jimbe, who had apparently originally sailed under the cook’s mom but was now sailing with them, which was pretty cool. Everyone seemed weird whenever he mentioned the cook’s family, though, so he stopped doing that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This isn’t going to be like with Usopp, is it?” Luffy had found him, later that evening, just after Zoro had managed to find a notebook to write everything down in. He was feeling a little more confident—he’d stopped falling over and breaking things by accident, he knew everyone’s name on the ship, and even better, no one had said anything about him forgetting any major details.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Usopp?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was fidgeting. “Yeah, like Usopp and Water 7 with Sanji? ‘Cause we already talked about it and he said he was sorry and everything and he was only trying to protect us with the wedding and pudding.”</p>
<p>“Usopp and the cook’s wedding?” repeated Zoro blankly, unsure if he’d heard Luffy right. “They’re married now?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was an…interesting development. The cook was always making love declarations to Nami and Vivi, Zoro hadn’t even considered that he was really interested in men.</p>
<p>Luffy shook his head. “No, I jumped out of the cake with all the animals to stop it, remember?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jumping out from underground did seem like a very Luffy thing to do, even if the ground was made out of cake. Actually, especially if the ground was made out of cake. “Uh huh.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, Luffy had stopped Usopp and the cook from getting married? That didn’t make much sense…actually, none of this made any sense.  Zoro bit his lip before saying something else wrong.</p>
<p>“So…it’s not the same as Water 7,” said Luffy, like Zoro had any idea what that was. “Right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy seemed certain, even as he was asking him, that the wedding was <em>not</em> like Water 7, which sounded like some sort of bizarre code, but Zoro nodded. He trusted Luffy. “I know. Not the same. Definitely different.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good,” Luffy breathed out a little and smiled. “He even got the magic suit, too! He called himself a soba noodle!”</p>
<p>And just like that, Zoro felt all his confidence slide away. “Soba noodle?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Usopp says he’s gonna change the name.”</p>
<p>Ah, so Usopp had gotten some sort of powered suit. Maybe <em>that</em> was where all the muscles had come from, like some sort of powered transformation technique. Good for him, especially if Luffy had interrupted his wedding.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ne, Luffy?” He might as well ask, Luffy wasn’t really the type to judge him for something like this. “How did things end up with Crocodile?”</p>
<p>Luffy blinked at him, eyes big but not concerned. “Eh…well, he was definitely at Marineford, I’m not sure where he ended up going after, though.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Which…that wasn’t really the answer Zoro was looking for, but if he didn’t seem worried about it, Zoro wouldn’t worry either.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What about Vivi?”</p>
<p>“Vivi?” This time Luffy did frown. “Hmm…I think Nami’s been writing her? She went to that fancy thing that all the kings go to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay, so asking Luffy for actual details might not be the best place, but at least he didn’t look suspicious about why Zoro didn’t know the things that he was apparently supposed to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The next problem, if Zoro was ignoring everything else, were his swords. When he finally had a second to himself, in between planning meetings and meals with too many people, Zoro laid out his swords, preparing to clean them.</p>
<p>Except, one was…wrong.</p>
<p>Last time he checked, he had three swords: Wado, the Sandai Kitetsu, and Yubashiri. Wado and Kitetsu were blinking up innocently at him, but the third sword…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was getting a bad feeling from it. A very bad feeling, something hungrier and wilder, something that was making Kitetsu twitch, too. The type of sword that someone needed to have absolute control over before wielding, the kind of sword that at the very least he needed to know the <em>name</em> of…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why did he have a new sword? Why were there four new crew members that Zoro hadn’t even been asked about? Why were they sailing on a new ship, why were they fighting a hoard of dragons, and why was no one telling him anything?</p>
<p>The sound of footsteps shook him from his increasingly frazzled thoughts, and a man Zoro didn’t recognize walked through, eyeing the laid out swords. “Cleaning, Zoro-ya?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was tall and thin, wearing a weird hat with spots, gazing around the room with a bored expression. Ah, shit, was this another mysterious new crew member? “Thinking about it,” answered Zoro carefully, still looking at the unknown blade. He didn’t have a good feeling about wielding it, let alone touching it. Call it swordsman instinct.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s quite a sword,” said the man, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. “Enma.”</p>
<p>Enma. Knowing its name was a good start. “Yeah,” agreed Zoro. Then, because why not—“Sharp.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The man let out a noise that could’ve been half of laugh. “You did cut a chunk of coastline off when you first used it. Drains the user of its Haki, leaving the body emaciated. I don’t envy you, Roronoa.”</p>
<p>Whatever the hell <em>Haki</em> was, Zoro was definitely avoiding the sword now. At least, until he could figure out how to tame it. And with Kitetsu acting up too… “Do you need something?” asked Zoro abruptly, but the man didn’t look offended.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Black leg-ya says it’s time for dinner,” he said. “Good that you’re not bedridden anymore. We have a lot to do if we stand a chance.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro swallowed, uneasily. He sheathed the swords, careful with the one called Enma, and mentally promising to deal with Kitetsu later. Bless Wado and her unflinching loyalty.</p>
<p>“Coming,” he said, instead of voicing any of these concerns aloud, following the man in the spotted hat down the stairs, wondering when his life had gotten this complicated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘The day you agreed to follow the lunatic who wanted to be the King of the Pirates,’ Zoro thought, letting out an audible sigh. The other man’s nose twitched, as if he could hear him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dinner was overwhelming, and it was all Zoro could do to just fit himself into a corner and accept food when it came his way. Who were all these <em>people</em>?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The man with the spotted hat was apparently “Traffy”, but Zoro was at a complete loss for anybody else.</p>
<p>It didn’t help that Luffy was apt to nickname people anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone was exchanging stories, each more outlandish than the first. He could feel the excitement humming, Luffy getting louder, Usopp and Chopper just a decibel behind, the cook demanding to serve the ladies first. It was something to be grateful for, some sense of continuity.</p>
<p>“—and then we found the <em>princess</em> and she was trying to fight them but they kept being mean ‘cause of her dad—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He had to be talking about Alabasta, Zoro realized, as he willed himself to pay closer attention. A kingdom island taken over by a secret organization behind the scenes? Yeah, sounded like Alabasta, and where else could they have gone in between?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What he didn’t know was that Crocodile was also working with someone named ‘Doffy’ who was…a flamingo zoan? That sounded pretty stupid, but then again, so did Luffy’s Devil’s Fruit. And anyway, it sounded like the flamingo had betrayed Crocodile, and the flamingo was <em>also</em> ‘Traffy’s’ uncle, and there had been some sort of rescue involved.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What would a flamingo Devil Fruit even <em>do</em>? Where did a giant bird cage come from?</p>
<p>The cook kept giving him weird looks, alongside the dark-haired woman Robin, who seemed to be overly interested in Zoro just trying to eat his food. He missed having at least some grip on what was happening.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After dinner, Zoro found himself in the crow’s nest by himself again, and he definitely <em>wasn’t</em> in the middle of a fight with Kitetsu. Absolutely not.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come on, you shitty sword,” Zoro hissed. Every time he picked it up or set it down, the blade would turn <em>towards</em> him. “If I have to throw you into the ocean and leave you to rust, I will.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sword didn’t say anything, but Zoro scowled. He could feel it taunting him, not as badly as the sword called Enma, but not happy with him either.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He reached down to pick it up and felt the blade start to slice against his palm, and he gritted his teeth and willed it to turn around, point its curse <em>outwards</em> towards <em>enemies</em>.</p>
<p>Slowly, gradually, he could feel the blade start to listen, start to remember who it was that rescued it from that shitty sword shop, remember who let it <em>fight</em> and <em>eat</em> and—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The door swung open and Zoro let out a yell, feeling Kitetsu slip through his fingers, and <em>shit</em> that was more blood than he expected—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wha—” It was Usopp, suddenly running in closer. “Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean—wait, why didn’t you sense me coming?”</p>
<p>“What?!” snapped Zoro, scowling darkly at Kitetsu. “I’m <em>trying</em> to get this dumbass sword to <em>behave</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait, you should probably apply pressure—”</p>
<p>“What I <em>need</em> is a sword that <em>listens to me</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah, Sanji!” Zoro fought back a groan. Of course the stupid cook had to come up here, too, couldn’t he just have a few minutes to himself? Stupid sword, stupid dartboard brow cook, stupid bleeding arm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why are you bleeding everywhere?!”</p>
<p>“Do you have a towel or something?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt a little like bashing his head against a wall, but that probably wouldn’t help with all his fucking memory issues, and it definitely wouldn’t help with his stupid sword.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s it,” he said, suddenly decisive, ignoring the stream of red on his arm and definitely ignoring the two crewmates who were overly concerned with the blood. “That’s <em>it</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He picked up Kitetsu. If his luck had truly gotten so bad…no, it wasn’t worth having a sword that didn’t respect its master. “This’ll settle it,” said Zoro, and he threw the katana up into the air, closing his eyes, and finding peace within himself.</p>
<p>He was going to be the World’s Greatest Swordsman. He’d sworn his <em>life</em> on two of those promises, been sliced in half because of that promise, and if this sword thought for <em>one second</em> that Zoro intended to fight with a sword that didn’t trust him…</p>
<p>Zoro blocked out the sounds of the cook and Usopp, coolly focusing on the swish of the blade, holding his bleeding arm out without any regret, allowing fate to make this decision—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kitetsu swung around his arm, making no cut, and Zoro heard its grudging willingness to work with him. Zoro grinned and pulled it out of the floor.</p>
<p>“What the <em>hell</em> was that?!” The cook’s sharp voice re-entered Zoro’s brain and he blandly looked over. “Are you trying to cut your arm off?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I thought you’d gotten over the limb cutting thing,” groaned Usopp. “Chopper’s going to be mad…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” Zoro looked over at both of them. He could feel Enma still; this sword wasn’t one that required trust so much as <em>strength</em>, but it might not actively try to kill him now. “You know that’s how I tested out the sword in Loguetown, right?”</p>
<p>“Of course it was,” said the cook, and Usopp looked half-terrified and half-impressed. “Couldn’t do things the normal way, have to gamble everything on <em>fate</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Did you want something?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh,” said Usopp, still staring blankly at the room. “Well, I know you were working on Observation Haki with me, and I really appreciate it and it’s been super helpful, but Sanjiofferedtohelpand—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” asked Zoro, wondering if any of those were words he was supposed to understand. The cook was smirking, like this was supposed to get a rise out of him or something, and Usopp’s legs were shaking a little. “Uh, that’s great. Do you need the room, then?”</p>
<p>Apparently that was not how he was expected to answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh,” said Usopp. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”</p>
<p>Zoro felt like going to bed, maybe he’d wake up with some of his missing memories, maybe it’d just be his first chance to not have anyone telling him things that didn’t make sense.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As he started to walk down, he heard the cook say something about a blindfold and Zoro immediately blanched. Were they about to…?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“None of my business,” he muttered, shaking his head. “None of my fucking business.”</p>
<p>He missed the curious gaze of his two crewmates as he left.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, you really talked to him?” It was Nami’s voice, sounding a strange mix of curious and concerned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He was a <em>super</em> interesting guy—”</p>
<p>“Of <em>course</em> he is—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro paused, wondering who they were talking about. It sounded like the robot Franky, and he thought he could see Chopper and the skeleton Brook, too. He could ask. Unless he was supposed to know.</p>
<p>Zoro yawned, feeling tiredness prickle at his eyes, and decided he didn’t <em>care</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin knew him, and he talked to Zoro-bro too—”</p>
<p>Fighting back a groan, because of course it actually was someone he was supposed to know, Zoro stayed back, trying to eavesdrop without looking obvious about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, the blond one, apparently his parents were nobles or something? But he ate the Devil’s Fruit, people were saying he burned the whole colosseum.”</p>
<p>“Wow,” said Chopper. “It’s good he got the fruit, though!”</p>
<p>Franky made a sound of agreement. “He’s got this big burn scar around his eye, though. His hair kind of covers it, though.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s heart started to beat faster. They weren’t talking about…</p>
<p>“Chief of staff of the Revolutionary Army?” Brook let out a low whistle. “Good for Sa—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro had heard enough, walking away from them as fast as he could, his head spinning. He had to be misunderstanding something. He <em>had</em> to. Except, he knew now that the cook was the son of one of those nobles and the Pirate Emperor. Zoro had also heard the others mentioning the cook’s ‘signature technique’, something like <em>fire</em>, and Zoro had thought it was some cooking thing, but…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook ate a Devil’s Fruit. The cook ate a <em>Devil’s Fruit</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And the change in hairstyle…Franky has said something about a scar around the eye. Was that to cover up the damage?</p>
<p>Zoro would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little disappointed. That was one of the <em>good</em> things about the cook, that he didn’t have one of those fruits for an instant strength boost. Shit, how many hammers were on the ship <em>now</em>?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook ate a <em>Devil’s Fruit</em>.</p>
<p>Wait.</p>
<p>The cook was in the Revolutionary Army?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t know much about the Revolutionaries, except that it definitely did not concern him, but he knew it was a big deal. And the shitty cook was the Chief of Staff?! Did Luffy know?!</p>
<p>Luffy probably wouldn’t care. Zoro took a deep breath and willed himself not to care either. It wasn’t like being Chief of Staff meant he was any better of a fighter, probably just meant that he did a bunch of paperwork in his free time. Having a fire-related Devil’s Fruit, though…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The bedroom was empty. Zoro slowly made his way over to the beds, unwilling to bother with staying awake any later. This had felt like the longest day of his <em>life</em>.</p>
<p>There were some posters on the wall, and Zoro gave them a weary, one-eyed stare. Wanted posters? Why would there be…?</p>
<p>“What,” said Zoro, aware that there was no one listening to him. “The fuck.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because last time he checked, he didn’t have a bounty. Only Luffy did. And last time he checked…</p>
<p>No way. He just wasn’t reading the numbers right. There was literally no way, he had to be miscounting the zeros or <em>something</em>, there was no way any of that was even close to correct. Maybe they’d been put up as a joke. Something to work towards.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“God Usopp,” he muttered, flinging himself into bed. “No fucking way.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ha ha ha I hope some people find me funny because I find me VERY funny.</p>
<p>Up Next: There's an admiral and Zoro doesn't know how to deal with it</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Focus.</p>
<p>Focus.</p>
<p>Don’t let him kill Robin but also don’t make it too obvious that you’re a little bit better than a sixty million bounty or he might fight more seriously but also don’t let him kill Robin but also Luffy probably shouldn’t fight this guy alone but also he’s your captain you should listen to whatever he tells you to do.</p>
<p>No, focus.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zoro felt Robin’s fear spike, her heartbeat rush, even before she fell to the ground. The kind of deeply entrenched fear that was louder than anything else, completely overwhelming her presence, the kind of blazing warning signal that seemed so <em>obvious</em>.</p>
<p>He didn’t listen to the cook ask Robin what was wrong. He didn’t listen to her terrified answer, because he knew exactly who he was looking at. And sure, on a comparative scale, Aokiji wasn’t as bad as Akainu or Kizaru. But that was also like saying a dying quickly was better than dying slowly; it was still dying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My, my. You’ve grown into a lovely woman, Nico Robin.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They wouldn’t win this fight, and Zoro hated himself for thinking it—he always thought <em>victory</em>, but this wasn’t going to be a victory. This wasn’t the crew that had fought against Yonko. This wasn’t a crew that <em>knew</em> Haki, and okay, maybe Zoro would change <em>that</em> because….come on.</p>
<p>It didn’t help, or maybe it did, that Aokiji really seemed totally uninterested in fighting them. Which was…weird, Zoro must have blocked that out. Because he definitely remembered a fight, or more properly an ass-beating.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Whatever. It didn’t matter. He was sticking close to Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And, oh. Luffy’s goddam grandfather had been mentioned, too. The entire Monkey family, including adopted, wayward relatives, were complete lunatics. All of them.</p>
<p>“The past doesn’t matter!” yelled Luffy, and Zoro took an inch closer to Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s right!” said Usopp. “Otherwise, how would we be crewmates with ruffians like former pirate hunters or thieves!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro fought against rolling his eyes, as the cook nodded emphatically. “What’s more important is the present, rather than the past.”</p>
<p>Oh, Zoro could probably add that to a list of hints he hadn’t been paying attention to but that upon being <em>added</em> made someone just as scared of their past as Robin was. Truly an idiot to think that any amount of words could convince <em>Luffy</em> of all people that he wanted to get married, Luffy who was good enough at reading people without Observation Haki.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ve befriended this group well.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro could feel Robin’s anger flash, a beat before she raised her arms. “Don’t,” he muttered quietly, with as much force as he could put into it. He felt her hesitate slightly. “We can’t take him right now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She inhaled sharply, her expression unchanging, but with an extra beat of fear. He was <em>not</em> doing a good job of staying subtle.</p>
<p>“Then just leave,” she said instead, trying to keep her voice even.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t know about that,” said Aokiji, and Zoro felt Robin attack before it happened, and he hissed in annoyance. The ice saber swung down and Zoro met it with metal, moving faster than he had before, keeping his arm steady.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How could he signal to the cook and Luffy to <em>not</em> get involved in this? And, too late, fucking fuck.</p>
<p>No, Zoro needed to think.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy punched and the cook kicked, and Zoro pushed himself back an instant before his arm froze over, the other two yelling in pain. Usopp was shouting something too, but he couldn’t hear it over the blood pounding in his ears. They <em>couldn’t </em>fight an <em>Admiral</em> right now, why didn’t Luffy—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Right. Because Luffy hadn’t gotten nearly killed by an Admiral yet. That did not make listening to them screaming sound any easier.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Focus.</p>
<p>Focus.</p>
<p>Don’t let him kill Robin but also don’t make it too obvious that you’re a little bit better than a sixty million bounty or he might fight more seriously but also don’t let him kill Robin but also Luffy probably shouldn’t fight this guy alone but also he’s your captain you should listen to whatever he tells you to do.</p>
<p>No, focus.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Impressive reflexes,” said Aokiji, instead, and ah, that probably meant he knew he was using Observation Haki, Jesus Christ.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“They need to be treated right away!” Chopper was yelling, and Zoro needed to <em>focus</em>, he couldn’t worry about everyone else, especially since the person in the most danger—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin, run!”</p>
<p>“Hm,” Aokiji turned his gaze back towards Robin. “I guess you’re the same as ever, Nico Robin.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro moved this time, hitting Robin backwards as hard as he could, sending her flying (hopefully) in the direction of a crewmate who could get that woman to reignite that sense of preservation that kept her alive for twenty years.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A black blade hit an arm that was ready for it, and ice tried to creep onto his sword but Zoro was having none of that, and Aokiji looked surprised. “This is unexpected,” he said, and Zoro drew his sword back, trying to act like he hadn’t noticed.</p>
<p>“What?” Zoro intentionally made himself sound more confident than he was. “Just some stupid ice sword.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Did they even know what Logias were?! No, they had to, Crocodile and Ace and Smoker and Enel…and it had really taken them until after Marineford to learn how to fight it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Aokiji lunged towards Robin again and Zoro let out a muffled curse, clashing with the Admiral again. It was blocked, but no ice spread along his blade, but <em>shit</em> Robin’s arm was beginning to freeze, too. <em>Why</em> weren’t they running?!</p>
<p>“Can your chivalry be useful for one goddam time?” Zoro yelled back to the cook, who’s expression was openly confused. “And can you get her back to the ship before she’s fucking frozen?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay, he probably shouldn’t be giving orders but wasn’t he always ordering the cook around? Aokiji aimed for Robin <em>again</em> and finally the cook must have taken the hint because he grabbed her and rolled out of the way, pushing her closer to Nami. “Go back with her,” he was saying, and Zoro rolled his eyes as he dodged another attack (Aokiji was eyeing him with <em>uncomfortable </em>intensity), because of course the stupid cook wanted to—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait!” said Luffy, eyes blazing with anger as he eyed Aokiji and the ice on Robin’s left side. “Don’t interfere. I want to fight him in a duel.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe Luffy was trying to give him a heart attack. It was entirely plausible. Is this how the others felt when Zoro got himself into obvious, neon-sign dangerous situations? It would explain Chopper’s griping.</p>
<p>But Zoro stopped, even as fear pounded in his chest. Luffy would be fine. Luffy would make it out of this. Luffy was <em>alive</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>How do you know?</em> A traitorous voice asked him. <em>You’re not in Wano anymore. They think you’re dead, they might have even buried you. What if you wake up again in a body that’s underground or burned at sea?</em></p>
<p>And then—</p>
<p><em>Your crew doesn’t exist anymore. They’re gone now, all they’ve done is undone now because of you</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt a cold completely unrelated to Aokiji’s aggressively approaching ice and pushed the thoughts away. Luffy wanted his fight. Zoro would give him that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fine,” said Zoro, moving away and picking up Robin. There was no way she could walk with half of her frozen. Usopp and Chopper and Nami and the cook <em>still</em> weren’t moving, for fuck’s sake. “Doctor?” he said, trying not to grit his teeth. “Your patient?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was staring at him even as Chopper came to life and realized he needed to act, and then they were running back to the ship, Usopp and Nami fast behind them, Robin held carefully in Chopper’s arms.</p>
<p>“He’s like Smoker, Luffy,” said Zoro before taking off, his brain screaming at him to stay. And it wasn’t the best comparison by any means; Smoker was much weaker than Aokiji, but this Luffy wasn’t able to defeat Smoker yet. Hopefully it would send the right message.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, oi, are we really leaving him?” asked the cook, head basically swiveled as they moved back to the ship. His leg was frosted over badly, getting worse with the weight on it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He ordered it, didn’t we?”</p>
<p>“We can’t just leave—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro snorted. “’Course not. But what are you going to do with a frozen leg?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just because <em>you</em> dodged—”</p>
<p>“I’m serious, melt the ice, then we’ll go back—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook bristled, even as he was clearly trying to run faster than he was able. Shit, Aokiji must have gotten the two of them more this time since Zoro didn’t also get hit. “I don’t need you to <em>babysit</em> me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Does it look like I’m babysitting you?!” snapped Zoro. “I’m following Captain’s orders whether I like them or not, but the second your stupid leg can move again we’re going back because he can’t win this one by himself.”</p>
<p>The cook looked like he was trying to understand that while also not giving Zoro the pleasure of actually saying anything, and Zoro rolled his eyes for what felt like the twentieth time, fully aware that he was being hypocritical about avoiding marine admirals. But they didn’t know that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy would be okay. Luffy would be okay. Robin wasn’t completely frozen, and Luffy would make it through.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook and Usopp were arguing. This was not entirely unexpected, although it was annoying. Nami was with Chopper, heating up water for Robin, her eyes flickering dangerously. They would need that water again soon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Isn’t it a little cold-hearted?!”</p>
<p>“It’s <em>his</em> decision!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stop it,” said Zoro shortly, and they both did, fear clouding the anger in both of their faces. Luffy would be okay. Luffy would be okay. “We’re not leaving him behind, Usopp. Luffy’s doing this for Robin, so the Admiral won’t keep chasing her. It’s not like it would be that hard to stop our ship if he can freeze the fucking ocean.”</p>
<p>Another gripe. Weren’t Devil’s Fruit users supposed to be <em>weak</em> against the ocean? Their one, singular fatal flaw that never came up unless Luffy was falling off their ship?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy would be okay. Luffy would be okay. Garp would murder Aokiji if he killed Luffy, even if the old man was a lunatic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And if the marine admiral isn’t so honor-bound?” asked the cook, doing a spectacularly bad job of not looking worried.</p>
<p>“What’s with all the what-if’s?” grumbled Zoro. “Is your stupid leg ready or not?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They ran back towards the clearing. The cook didn’t ask Zoro why he’d waited for him, why he hadn’t just gone himself. And Zoro didn’t say anything, either, until he saw Luffy’s outstretched frozen pose and felt a weight left. “He’s not broken into pieces.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good, good,” the cook almost laughed. He was relieved. “Let’s get him back to ship.”</p>
<p>They picked him up gently, the cold biting into Zoro’s arms. “How did—” The cook stopped.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Nothing.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro scoffed. “If you have something to say, say it.”</p>
<p>The cook was silent as they moved back towards the ship, Luffy’s body like some bizarre ice sculpture no one would want to buy. Well, actually he could think of one person.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You knew that Admiral was going to freeze us before he did,” he said. “It was almost like—”</p>
<p>Almost like Mantra. Zoro didn’t blink, though. Definitely didn’t have the sudden urge to confess so he could at least stop playing a role he hadn’t played in nearly three years.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What, mad I have better reflexes than you?”</p>
<p>“As if,” the cook spat back, and wasn’t that a good joke? He would eventually develop better Observation Haki. “Never mind.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rest of the way they continued in silence, and unfortunately, when removed from the presence of women the cook could actually be less of a moron. He didn’t have any way of guessing the truth, because the truth was ridiculous, but he’d be watching him.</p>
<p>Zoro shrugged that thought away, determined to just get back to the ship so they could move on and he could stop worrying about things like <em>time lines</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“His heart,” sniffed Chopper, looking exhausted and relieved at the same time. “Started beating again!”</p>
<p>Everyone let out a cheer, and Zoro smiled to himself. He knew it would. But there was a difference between something that should happen and something actually happening.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin’s doing better, too,” said Chopper, and immediately the cook and Usopp were trying to push their way through.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, Dr. Chopper,” said the cook, grinning. “I’ll make something for them.”</p>
<p>“You calling me ‘Doctor’ wouldn’t make me feel happy, you jerk!” Chopper was dancing happily. “But some warm drinks would be good!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook ran off excitedly, Nami let out a breath of relief, and Usopp slumped over. “I wonder if strong guys like him are coming after us from now on…” There was something else in his face, too. Something that Zoro probably wouldn’t have noticed if he wasn’t looking. “All I did was get flustered.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro opened his mouth then closed it, then made a decision. “Usopp?”</p>
<p>“Hm?”</p>
<p>“Come here for a sec.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were exhausted, but Zoro didn’t want to wait. Otherwise he might change his mind again. Usopp looked nervous, and Zoro wondered if he was really the best person for some kind of pep-talk, but it needed to be done. Before Water 7.</p>
<p>“You’re not weak, you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” Usopp laughed nervously. “I’ve faced enemies much stronger—” But then this voice faltered, the boast thin even to him. “I’m weaker than you guys. You just keep getting—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you know what I did before a joined the crew?” asked Zoro, and Usopp gave him a questioning look.</p>
<p>“Yeah, former bounty hunter and all that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro nodded. “And before that, I spent my entire life in the dojo. I kept traveling until I found a place where I couldn’t defeat everyone and then I stayed until I could. No friends, no family, just constantly training to be better than the day before.”</p>
<p>“I get it,” said Usopp, sounding more annoyed than anything. “You’re super strong—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No,” said Zoro. “Okay, Luffy. He’s got his Devil Fruit. But also, it’s kind of a stupid fruit if you think about it, and he trained with it until it wasn’t. He was raised in a forest where if you didn’t kill your food, you wouldn’t eat.”</p>
<p>Usopp looked confused, like he hadn’t heard that before, which…yeah, Zoro wasn’t doing a very good job of remembering what people knew, but he plowed on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And even the love cook, right? He learned all his kicking shit from that guy at the restaurant.” Zoro took a measured breath. “It’s not about any kind of strength someone is born with. That’s bullshit. It’s about having a teacher and putting in the work and trying and failing a lot before you get something right.”</p>
<p>Usopp frowned, still looking downcast. “But that means I’m behind,” he said. “I never had anyone like that at my village. I’d never even <em>left</em> my village before getting on Merry.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s what I’m saying,” said Zoro. “You made it this far without any formal training and without ever stepping foot on another island. That’s incredible.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp looked like Zoro had punched him in the face, and a little belatedly Zoro remembered he tended not to give compliments, but wasn’t that part of the problem? It wasn’t just about Merry, it was about Usopp thinking that he would end up getting left behind, too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh,” said Usopp. “Thanks. That…means a lot.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro, trying not to look too uncomfortable. “I…train a lot. If you ever want to do that….sometime.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, he was being so awkward. But Usopp smiled, genuine and less afraid than before. “Of course you’d want me to train with you,” he said, voice back to its magnificent tenor. “I’ve trained with a number of warriors in my day, even <em>ninja</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He whispered the last word and Zoro had to laugh, rolling his eyes. “Hai, hai, sure Master Usopp.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Usopp went back down while Zoro pulled out the second notebook from his pants and wrote ‘Teach Haki?’.</p>
<p>“It wouldn’t change much,” muttered Zoro, his eyes narrowed as he thought about it. Haki took practice it wasn’t something that just turned on and was instantly usable in battle. Was it worthwhile, then?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Depends on if he was playing the long game or the short game.</p>
<p>Zoro groaned and resolved that if he had time to sit around and <em>think</em> about Haki, then he had time to actually work on his own attacks. They had a few days until Water 7, anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, Luffy?” Zoro called out, with much less urgency than he might have. Even if the sight was still, frankly, bizarre. “There’s a frog doing a front-crawl.”</p>
<p>Robin was recuperating and Luffy was bouncing around again, covering himself in flour and laughing at the whole deal. It was one of those perfect sunny days that everything seemed to go wrong on, suspiciously bright and cloudless.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I haven’t heard that one, go on,” said Usopp, and this was getting way too familiar.</p>
<p>“Not a joke,” said Zoro bluntly. “Frog. Doing the front-crawl. On your side now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That doesn’t make any—there’s a frog doing a front-crawl!”</p>
<p>“FOLLOW THAT FROG!”</p>
<p>“WAIT, WHY ARE YOU CHANGING COURSE WITHOUT ASKING?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was loud and Luffy was louder back. “You won’t believe this, there’s this frog covered in scars and he’s doing the front-crawl and we’re definitely going to roast it whole and eat it!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re going to eat it?!”</p>
<p>“Tell us which direction the frog is going in!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami scowled. “Not a chance!”</p>
<p>“It’s going towards the lighthouse,” said Robin calmly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook looked like he was thinking deeply about something. “To cook frogs, first remove the slime with white wine, then dredge them in flour and fry them crisp.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin,” moaned Nami. “Sanji-kun.”</p>
<p>But they were moving fast in the water, pedaling rapidly, and it was only upon seeing the lighthouse closer that Zoro remembered what it actually was. “We should probably get out of the way of the tracks,” he called out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tracks?” Chopper parroted. “What tracks?”</p>
<p>“The Sea Train tracks.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The <em>what</em>?!” The others exclaimed, making faces in his direction which very quickly changed at the sound of a fast-approaching whistle.</p>
<p>“You’re kidding,” said the cook, and Nami’s face went white.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!” Usopp shrieked, and everyone’s eyes were huge, mouths open in complete shock.</p>
<p>“It’s the Sea Train,” said Zoro, feeling the rush of wind come towards them, sending them backwards into the water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“TRAINS DON’T RUN ON WATER!”</p>
<p>“IT CAN’T BE A SHIP!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro very nearly smiled but managed to keep it hidden. The others were still in shock at the giant thing coming so close, no one else but him heard a tiny girl’s voice exclaim. “Grandma! Grandma! Pirates!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Water 7 was beautiful, but it made Zoro’s mouth taste like metal. The fountains, the channels, the presence of a secret government assassination unit…it made Zoro’s hands sweat, even though they’d gone through much worse since this. Like Sabaody.</p>
<p>That would be fun to relive.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone was so <em>excited</em>, too, staring at the floating island ahead of them, talking about fixing Merry. Zoro never liked looking backwards, and here he was <em>living</em> backwards, everyone about to make a lot of mistakes that would end up with a lot of pain later on.</p>
<p>And strength too, he reminded himself. Water 7 lost three nakama and gained four. The World Government knew Robin was traveling with their ship now, if not on this island, then would it be the next time they docked? Completely unaware? And if not Merry now, then they would be at the bottom of the ocean. And Franky.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Still didn’t make looking at the gleaming city any easier.</p>
<p>“I want to race down those slides!” Luffy looked delighted, and Zoro rolled his eyes, unconsciously gripping Wado.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You can’t swim.”</p>
<p>“Ah, right.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was ready to take off with Usopp and exchange the gold with Nami, and Chopper mentioned going to a bookstore with Robin, and <em>Shit</em> Zoro needed to make a decision. Otherwise he would end up guarding the ship when all of the <em>real</em> danger was their money getting stolen and Usopp getting nearly killed then Robin vanishing…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aren’t you worried about that much gold?” said Zoro suddenly. He knew where he needed to be. “This place could be full of people waiting to steal it.”</p>
<p>Nami and Usopp’s eyes got wide for different reasons. “Uh, my I-can’t-go-on-this-island-or-I’ll-die disease is—”</p>
<p>“Zoro!” said Nami. “You’re protecting me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Protecting <em>you</em>?” Zoro scoffed, because it was what he would say, even as the cook loudly exclaimed that <em>he</em> would be much better at protecting Nami than the stupid marimo—</p>
<p>“Me and the money,” said Nami, authority in her voice now. “We can’t risk any going missing.” She looked over at Usopp. “Zoro won’t be any good at fixing the mast anyway—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p>“I’m not a shipwright, you know that, right?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Usopp looked slightly relieved, climbing back onto the ship as Zoro prepared to jump down. He would gut anyone who even <em>looked</em> in the direction of their money. And Usopp would be safer on the ship anyway.</p>
<p>Zoro swallowed. He was changing things now, and there wouldn’t be any going back, and he turned slightly to the cook before leaving, just to give it a shot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Actually keep an eye on her this time, will you?”</p>
<p>The cook’s visible eye widened in surprise, but Zoro was already leaving, determined to make this better.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Up Next: If you try to change the future but the same thing keeps happening, is it actually a metaphor? Or, Water 7. </p>
<p>You know, I didn't really mean to get into a rhythm of weekly updates, but I'm not mad about it. Let me know what you thought!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zoro knew the question was coming. It had to, at some point. Harder was coming up with a way to answer. He could tell Luffy the truth; he’d probably believe him. Luffy wasn’t the type to accuse him of lying. But they had other things to worry about and focus on, things that weren’t Zoro’s strange journey into the past. </p>
<p>“What if someone told you right now what was waiting at the end of the Grand Line?” He said, instead.  </p>
<p>Luffy’s brows furrowed. “That’d ruin it,” he said. “It’d be a stupid adventure.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I don’t want you in the boat by yourself! You’ll get lost!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro gritted his teeth while Luffy laughed. “I do <em>not</em> get lost.”</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s funny!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Didn’t you want me to look after the gold?” said Zoro, pointing to the bag. “I watch gold, you watch Luffy.”</p>
<p>“Shishishishi, do you not trust me with it?!”</p>
<p>“No,” said Nami and Zoro pointedly, ignoring his dramatic look of betrayal. “Fine,” snapped Nami. “Just follow me, okay? At least we have a map now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy had the attention span of a child, whipping his head around excitedly as they rode through the channels, a cool, salty breeze in the air. And to be fair, Water 7 was unlike any city any of them had seen before, the grand, sloping water, the people friendly and waving, calling out directions without a hint of fear.</p>
<p>But Zoro had been to Water 7 before, and he was watching their gold.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Although <em>really</em>, these weird sea horses were about as chaotic as Luffy was, taking them on all these twists and turns. Nami was shrieking loudly, and Zoro was pretty sure he’d be yelling too if he didn’t have a very clear objective which was <em>nobodyistouchingthisgold</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was it. Although, in the back of his mind, he was <em>also</em> wondering how one would get in contact with a Yonko. If, you know, you weren’t trying to be killed by one, but you did have the side project of wanting to save your captain’s brother from getting a chest full of magma.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Could he just…ask a bird to deliver something?</p>
<p>And a second side project, somehow even more complicated, would be getting in contact with the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army and restoring his memories.</p>
<p>No. For the time being, his focus was just the gold. Unless he could somehow get in contact with Jimbe…</p>
<p>Gold. Focus on the gold.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ooh, look!” said Luffy excitedly, pointing at a crowd forming. “That’s where the shipyard! Let’s go look—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Gold,” said Zoro. “Gold to cash. Then shipyard.”</p>
<p>“But <em>Zoro</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro’s right, Captain,” said Nami, and it only sounded like it caused her a little pain to say out loud.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy, if you swing that briefcase—”</p>
<p>The briefcase went flying and Zoro closed his eyes, as Nami let out an inhumane shriek and jumped across the river. He heard Luffy’s rubbery arm snap and a splash that probably meant Nami had fallen into the river and resolved that Luffy no longer got to carry a briefcase, Captain be dammed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Why</em> are you so <em>stupid</em>—”</p>
<p>“Ahh, Nami’s scary!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro took a deep breath, picked up two of the briefcases, and pointedly ignored the two of them bickering loudly. Maybe it was Luffy instead of Usopp he needed to be worrying about, except it was Usopp who got beaten up by the Franky Family, wasn’t it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He wasn’t entirely sure on the order of events. But he wasn’t letting anyone near their money.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kaku, the fucker. Zoro didn’t know they’d be meeting <em>him</em> this early on, although it made sense. The others knew who he was. And this was before he’d eaten the Devil’s Fruit, Zoro could probably just take him down right now…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Except that was a monumentally bad idea.</p>
<p>Unless…</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah, is that a reference from Kokoro-san?” Kaku smiled pleasantly, and Zoro did his best to keep his emotions in check. He knew Kaku had a decent grip on Observation Haki, though probably not good enough to sense intent. Still, it’d be better to stay away from him.</p>
<p>Luffy and Nami were falling over themselves, watching Kaku run and jump around the city like a flying moron. Zoro stared intently at the briefcases, just barely registering Iceberg’s presence as he came closer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He liked Iceberg. Nothing against the guy, just letting him talk to Luffy and Nami. He <em>did</em> have a little bit more of a grudge against his secretary, another one of the damn CP9 operatives, but he’d fought that stupid giraffe instead. Actually, it <em>would </em> be funny if he could find a way to get their Devil’s Fruits switched…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A not-even-subtle presence twitched up behind him, a group of people trying to be sneaky and doing a very bad job. Zoro stayed still, pretended like he didn’t notice, until one of the grimy little hands came too close and Zoro pressed down. <em>Hard</em>.</p>
<p>“You come any closer,” said Zoro, voice deceptively light, smiling coldly at the man whose fingers he was currently crushing. “You’ll lose a lot more than that.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, ow, <em>ow</em>, my fingers—”</p>
<p>“What did I say about coming <em>closer</em>?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey!” Suddenly Nami was paying attention, face red and infuriated. “You’re trying to steal our money?! Nobody steals from pirates but <em>me</em>!” She sent one of them flying, punch aided somehow by sheer greed.</p>
<p>Iceberg was staring warily at them, Luffy picking his nose absently beside him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey girlie!” yelled one of the men in sunglasses. “Us members of the Franky Family won’t be deterred so easily.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro just grinned, the kind that Usopp wouldn’t rank as his <em>scariest</em> but close. “Great,” he said. “Tell Franky I <em>super</em> don’t care.”</p>
<p>It took just two quick blows to send them all flying back to the river, briefcases secured again, and Nami giving him a hard to read look. Oh, and Iceberg was, too. <em>Probably</em> because Zoro had inflected that ‘super’ in a <em>super</em> familiar way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So,” said Iceberg, an eyebrow raised. He was trying to sound more casual than he felt, and Zoro watched Kalifa carefully behind her own sunglasses. “You’ve met Franky?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nope,” said Zoro. “Who’s that?”</p>
<p>“But—” Iceberg stopped and shook his head. “Never mind. Since Kaku is taking a look at your ship, that’s the beginning of the process any way. We could go on a tour for now—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was chattering happily, walking ahead while Nami hung back, eyeing the briefcases like they might vanish. “You super don’t care?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” grumbled Zoro. “No, thank you for saving the money?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“For some reason,” said Nami, sighing a little as they walked into the shipyard. “I don’t think we can let our guards down yet.”</p>
<p>Zoro didn’t say anything, but he definitely agreed. And now, even more annoyingly, he wanted to see Franky.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Seeing Lucci and the pigeon was…weird. Seeing Luffy interact with him like they <em>wouldn’t</em> have a bloody fight to the death over the lives of one of their crew members…weirder. Zoro just tried to ignore all of the Galley-La workers, fully utilizing the serious ‘Pirate Hunter’ persona that everyone assumed he had anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was pretty good at keeping people at a distance.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hearing the rope guy keep calling Nami shameless <em>was</em> pretty funny though, especially the witch’s reaction, and Luffy just laughed, totally unaware about any of the things ‘the funny pigeon guy’ was going to do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t think he’s going to join our crew, Captain,” said Zoro, after it became abundantly clear that Luffy was going to keep asking Iceberg.</p>
<p>“Whaaaaaaat?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s the mayor, dumbass,” said Nami. She’d insisted (loudly) that Zoro stay close and guard her, too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy pouted, as if this was news to him. “But he’s a really cool shipwright! And he’s got a mouse, too!”</p>
<p>“What does the mouse have to do with it?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you…” Iceberg hesitated, looking at Luffy carefully. Luffy stopped complaining and looked at him back. “You really have the woman Nico Robin on your ship?”</p>
<p>“Yeah!” said Luffy. “She’s really smart.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iceberg nodded, not saying anything else, and any thoughts it looked like Luffy was having about it slid away as soon as he saw something more exciting. Nami didn’t look as convinced, giving Zoro another strange look.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is this something we need to worry about?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro froze, then rearranged his expression into something slightly more neutral. He didn’t think Iceberg had asked about Robin so early. “What?”</p>
<p>“You heard me,” said Nami. “He’s interested in Robin.”</p>
<p>Zoro shrugged. “She’s been lots of places, hasn’t she? I’m sure lots of people have heard about her. And her bounty’s higher than mine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami let out a long sigh. “It’s cute, that you still think you’re going to get away with whatever this is.”</p>
<p>“Whatever <em>what</em> is?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You know,” Nami idly waved her hand. “Whatever your secret is. I heard you say something to Sanji-kun before we left, you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was silent for a moment, the little prickle of irritation that she’d noticed barely anything compared to the nasty truth that at this moment, Robin was probably already…</p>
<p>They would rescue her. And more importantly, they would make her realize she had a life worth living.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ve never thought worrying was a useful thing to do,” he said finally, and before Nami could say anything else, Kaku had returned with the news that he knew no one would be willing to hear.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Would there be <em>any</em> way to alter the course of what was going to happen? He knew Usopp’s fears weren’t just about Merry but about being left behind himself, and he’d tried to help him out more, training-wise and confidence boosting, but self-esteem and pride weren’t things that could be fixed that quickly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At least they still had the money.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re back,” said Iceberg, and Kaku looked surprised to see him.</p>
<p>“You’re part of this too, now?” Kaku hummed, and Zoro could feel Nami get more excited by his arrival.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy! Come down!”</p>
<p>Luffy did, bouncing excitedly, already talking about things he wanted added to ship. Even if Zoro didn’t know what was coming, it would be hard not to guess from the expression on Kaku’s face. They’d really done a lot of damage without even realizing it…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was naïve to think that they could sail the Grand Line in a ship like Merry. But she’d become part of the crew like everyone else, and it was a hard goodbye, but ships weren’t like people. They couldn’t get any stronger than they were built, and Zoro wished he’d maybe hammered that lesson in a little bit harder. After all, it sounded like he was going to have to anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami and Luffy didn’t believe him. Which was valid, Zoro hadn’t really believed it when Kaku had told <em>him</em> the first time around. Even as he lowered his eyes and said, “The probability of her reaching the next island…is zero.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy’s eyes widened, Nami’s mouth dropped open in surprise, and both of them just looked so <em>lost</em>. Zoro kept his gaze steady, taking Kaku’s words for what they were. Even if had no way of knowing they <em>would</em> take one final journey on Merry, just not the kind anyone was expecting.</p>
<p>“You can’t fix Merry?! Why not?!” Luffy was scowling now. “Aren’t you guys amazing shipwrights?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, what exactly is the problem?!”</p>
<p>“Do you know what a keel is, shameless girl?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s nose twitched involuntarily as Nami started. “Shamel—the keel is at the bottom of the ship.”</p>
<p>“Right,” said Paulie. “The keel is the most important wood beam on a ship. When you build a ship, you start by placing the keel—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay, this would be useful for Nami, less so for Luffy, who absolutely wasn’t paying attention and was also the same moron who thought he could sail the Grand Line in a row boat. But Nami needed to understand, needed to see exactly how bad it was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>…He didn’t know they would ask the build an <em>identical</em> ship to Merry. That was almost an insult to her memory, than anything else. The pigeon explained it, though, Lucci’s own face unwavering. It was kind of disconcerting. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Does that mean we really can’t travel on her anymore?” asked Nami.</p>
<p>“That’s right,” said Kaku. “You can either wait until she falls apart or take her apart quickly yourselves.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iceberg sighed. “Well, you’ve got a good opportunity here. You can buy a new ship with that money. And an older style like a caravel isn’t going to be the best to sail on from here out anyway—”</p>
<p>“No,” said Luffy. “I don’t intend to get a new ship.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro closed his eyes. Was he really going to have to hear this now, and again later? When they had to tell the rest of the crew including Usopp? Luffy started arguing and Iceberg started to argue back, and both of them were starting to make his ever-present headache feel <em>worse</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy,” said Zoro quietly, and both Luffy and Nami turned to him.</p>
<p>“What?” asked Luffy, sharp to disguise anything else he might be feeling. “She’s our ship, we can’t just give up on her!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro opened his mouth, but then some World Government official was in the shipyard for some reason, and they ended up hiding behind a pile of wood, Luffy still frowning and Nami slightly more pensive.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He wasn’t exactly sure how Luffy had gotten from Point A, delusion, to Point B, so thoroughly convinced they needed a new ship that he dueled Usopp over it, but Zoro just had to trust it would happen one way or another.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We should go back to Merry,” he said, eyeing the government official. “Tell the others.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” The cook was aghast, staring at Nami as she told them what Kaku and Iceberg had said. Merry was too injured. They’d pushed her too much. “But she’s the same ship we’ve been sailing on!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s part of the problem isn’t it?” said Zoro. “Humans can grow stronger after each hardship. Ships are different.”</p>
<p>“But I love Merry!” said Chopper tearfully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a strange prickle on Zoro’s skin that he couldn’t place. He knew Robin wouldn’t be there, judging the cook’s already-pale expression when they’d climbed on board, and he knew Usopp wasn’t there the <em>first</em> time, because he’d gone after the money but…well, Zoro was holding the money.</p>
<p>Where was Usopp?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It hit him like the sea train, fast and painful and oh <em>fuck</em>, Zoro had messed up. He’d really messed up. After all this time, he’d forgotten that members of the Franky family had attacked <em>Merry</em> first when Zoro was left alone on the ship, but if the cook had been with Chopper and Robin, that meant that <em>Usopp</em> had been alone on the ship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro let out a stream of curses that made everyone else stop and stare at him. He’d fucked up. He’d really fucked up, and there was probably some kind of ransom note waiting for them inside, and he should <em>probably</em> tell Luffy but any time explaining was time not spent retrieving their crew member.</p>
<p>He jumped off Merry and started running, ignoring the yells of confusion behind him. Could he remember where Franky’s hideout was? Eh. But he allowed himself to use Observation Haki anyway, feeling for Usopp’s presence. It was faint and far away, but he could follow it, except that—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where are you going, shitty marimo?!”</p>
<p>Zoro groaned but didn’t slow down. “Forgot about something.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Forgot?!”</p>
<p>“Why are you following me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Because our shitty <em>captain</em> asked me too,” said the cook, teeth gritted as he managed to catch up. “What the hell do you think you’re doing just running off when we’re dealing with something like this?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Usopp,” spat out Zoro, and the cook frowned, face blank. “He’s gone, isn’t he? The stupid Franky Family must’ve gotten him.”</p>
<p>“The <em>what</em>?!” asked the cook, sounding even more irate, but Zoro didn’t particularly care. “How do you know where he is?! Aren’t you just getting us more lost?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro closed his eyes, half to stop looking at the cook’s stupid eyebrow and half to concentrate better. He was picking up on Franky’s unmistakable presence now, too, and a part of him was excited. Only a part, though.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then where’s Robin, huh?!” snapped Zoro back, and maybe that was a little harsh considering he didn’t actually expect the cook to keep Robin from leaving if she wanted to, but he suddenly looked angry and guilty, a combination that didn’t mean anything good.</p>
<p>“Th-that’s—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It doesn’t matter,” cut in Zoro. “If you’re not going to leave, then don’t get in my way.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was glowering and <em>clearly</em> had something to say about that, but he also looked like he had a lot of things to say, and Zoro would rather deal with that later. After he could be reasonably sure him being an idiot didn’t get Usopp killed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The chaotic building was ahead of them, bright and garish, and Zoro didn’t make any motion to stop even as the cook started yelling behind him about “having a plan” and “you’re worse than Luffy”, which was pretty ridiculous.</p>
<p>Zoro crashed through the door, sending it and several people flying, his swords bared and a dark look in his eyes. He saw Usopp, bloody and tied up, and hoped the cook would have the sense to check on him. “Oh, hey Franky.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky was wearing some stupid mask and robe, but it was still him, and despite the admittedly shitty situation, it was a relief to see him again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The Pirate Hunter?” Franky’s voice was even more booming than usual, and a pitch lower, too. More restrained. Zoro saw the cook run in, spot Usopp, and look back and forth between them several times as if he was trying to make a decision.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s what they call me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He heard the cook mutter “Fucking fuck” or something like that, and Zoro was keenly aware of the number of cannons in the small hideaway, and the number of people who were definitely not above using dirty tricks. It didn’t matter. This would be over quickly.</p>
<p>“Hmmm, here to bargain?” Franky drawled. “Wasn’t hard to get him away from the ship. Didn’t know a guy like Straw hat Luffy have such useless crew members.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was saying something that Zoro was going to ignore for the moment. Instead, Zoro just grinned, letting solid blackness take over his swords. This would be good practice. “That’s a <em>super</em> dumb thing to say.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was over in a blur of sharp strikes and screams, and Zoro carefully sheathed his sword, the remnants of the Franky House around them in scattered debris. Usopp was still unconscious and the cook was staring at him like he couldn’t figure out exactly what he was looking at.</p>
<p>Franky had <em>mostly</em> been just taken by surprise, groaning on the floor. Everyone else was unconscious or just knocked out from shock, the house nearly obliterated. Zoro felt a little bit like whistling, but that might be overkill. “You look constipated, cook.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You…” The cook stopped, took in a deep breath, and looked around them, eyeing the damage with his visible eye.</p>
<p>“You could’ve joined in the fun, if you wanted.”</p>
<p>“That is <em>not</em> what I’m thinking about!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro shrugged and looked at Usopp. He didn’t look good but he didn’t look any worse than Zoro had seen him before. “We should get him back to the ship.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m going to kill you one of these days,” said the cook, massaging his temples. “I really am.”</p>
<p>“Sure you are, love-cook.”</p>
<p>He let out a sort-of strangled sound. “Where’s Robin?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t know,” said Zoro. “Let’s get Usopp back to the ship.”</p>
<p>The cook snarled and got closer to Zoro’s face, eye glinting. “Listen to me, you overgrown moss head. If you don’t explain what the <em>fuck</em> is going on, so help me, I will pull it out of you.”</p>
<p>“I’d like to see you <em>try</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wondered if the cook was about to have an aneurysm, but then Usopp coughed and dark blood fell out of his mouth, staining the ground. “This isn’t over,” spat the cook, picking up Usopp’s arms carefully. Maybe they should’ve brought a stretcher.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They didn’t speak the entire walk back, and Zoro was caught between wondering how much the cook had figured out (probably nothing) and dreading what was coming up. He didn’t enjoy sitting through it the first time, and he wasn’t going to enjoy this either.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You alive, marimo?” The cook asked, as they got closer to Merry. “You look like someone’s about to die.”</p>
<p>Zoro just smiled grimly, the sun starting to set behind them. It would turn bloody and red soon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“That’s enough!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You’re giving up on her! You’re giving up on a nakama!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>It was somehow worse than Zoro had remembered, the sun sinking slowly making the shitty city glow and glitter like it wasn’t ripping their crew apart. He thought it would be easier, knowing what was going to happen, that Usopp would eventually get over his pride, but it wasn’t.</p>
<p>Mostly because Usopp hadn’t gotten angry as quickly. He’d been kinder, asking instead of demanding. But it didn’t change Luffy’s decision, <em>couldn’t</em> change his decision, so somehow it felt even more painful.</p>
<p>Zoro kept his face carefully blank. The cook, Nami, and Chopper were not having as much luck, their emotions raw and obvious. Luffy and Usopp fighting like this, Robin still gone, and apparently it didn’t matter that the money hadn’t been stolen, not in the long run.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘Luffy has to learn how to be a captain,’ Zoro told himself, grounding himself with that knowledge. ‘And Usopp has to learn what being on this crew means.’</p>
<p>It did not make anything easier. Not the yells, sharp and unused to fighting each other. Not Luffy’s threat and certainly not Usopp’s declaration to fight him over their ship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He stayed still, remaining in the room for a moment even as the others ran after Usopp. Luffy’s face might’ve been hard to read if Zoro hadn’t known him for as long as he had, but the others definitely weren’t, the cook yelling at Usopp to come back, Nami yelling at Luffy to fix this, Chopper starting to cry.</p>
<p>It…was not any easier.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Zoro couldn’t show that. One of them had to have the resolve, make sure they knew this wasn’t a game, that lives were at stake and if they couldn’t trust Luffy, how were they supposed to survive?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy! Do something!” Nami yelled. “It’s not supposed to be like this!”</p>
<p>Zoro sighed, lifting himself and moving towards them with a steadiness. He saw Usopp’s face and read it: insecurity, defiance, pride, but also a glimmer of desperation. A plea for understanding.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy’s eyes were sad but his mouth cut a serious line, unshaken by Nami or Chopper, and the cook looked wordlessly between everyone, something childlike in his eye that Zoro didn’t normally associate with him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you really going to fight him?” asked the cook, even though he must’ve known the answer. Chopper let out a sob, and Zoro’s chest twisted.</p>
<p>He was going to leave. But he would come back. And they would be stronger for it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was going to have to watch the fight, even as his head pounded sharply, because someone needed to. It was sometimes a thankless job, actually often thankless as Nami glared at him sharply as if it were <em>his</em> fault, her eyes wet with tears, but Water 7 was always going to tear them apart.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And he would pick up the pieces.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was over. Chopper tried to run towards Usopp, but the cook stopped him, grabbing his arms. “This isn’t a game.”</p>
<p>“So what?!” shouted Chopper back, tears burning in his eyes. “I’m a doctor! Let me treat him!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He lost the duel,” said the cook sharply, voice hardened now. “On top of that, he gets pitied. Imagine how that makes him feel! Imagine how much suffering careless kindness can cause the loser! He fought knowing exactly how it might turn out!”</p>
<p>Zoro thought of the irony of that, for a second. Careless kindness, like the cook was one to talk. But at least his confusion and sadness had been replaced by anger, which was much easier for Zoro to deal with. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was biting her lip and trembling. Chopper shrunk down small again</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s heavy,” Luffy’s voice was broken, sadness ripping through his throat. Keeping composure wasn’t something Luffy was good at, not with something like this.</p>
<p>For better or for worse, Zoro was. “That’s what it means to be captain,” he said, his voice almost unnaturally calm with the shaking emotions he could sense around him. “Don’t lose yourself. If you waver, who can we trust?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was staring off now, cigarette nearly bitten in half. Nami covered her eyes, and Zoro needed they had to go soon, take all their belongings and turn their attention to Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We can’t come back to this ship,” said Zoro finally, and Luffy was crying now, barely holding it together, his hand clenched on his hat.</p>
<p>It didn’t take long to pack everything up, even with everyone in an awful haze. Luffy didn’t help, instead sitting one final time on the figurehead, eyes gazing out towards the rocky shoreline. Zoro didn’t begrudge him for that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the kitchen, the cook didn’t say anything as they stood side-by-side, stacking away what they owned. Zoro could hear the question, could hear him asking “How did you know?”, but the cook didn’t voice it aloud. Other things were more important than him trying to understand Zoro’s psychic abilities, he supposed. It would probably come rushing out later, except as far as Zoro remembered it, the cook would end up wandering off on his own to find Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well, that saved him from at least one conversation he didn’t want to have.</p>
<p>He sighed, looking at the ship and gently touching the wood one more time. “One more time,” he whispered softly, so none of the others could hear him. “I know it’s too much to ask.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How did this happen?” Luffy had stopped crying, and they were sitting alone in the dark, just the two of them. It was still and quiet.</p>
<p>“Usopp thinks we’re leaving behind Merry because she’s weak,” said Zoro. “And that it means we’ll leave him behind, too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I wouldn’t though,” Luffy’s voice broke again.</p>
<p>“I know,” said Zoro. “But you don’t look for nakama based on strength. And Usopp feels like he can’t catch up.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was quiet, leaning against his shoulder. His heart beat steadily. “How did Zoro know?” He said finally, looking up at him with those big, unwavering eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro knew the question was coming. It had to, at some point. Harder was coming up with a way to answer. He could tell Luffy the truth; he’d probably believe him. Luffy wasn’t the type to accuse him of lying. But they had other things to worry about and focus on, things that weren’t Zoro’s strange journey into the past.</p>
<p>“What if someone told you right now what was waiting at the end of the Grand Line?” He said, instead. </p>
<p>Luffy’s brows furrowed. “That’d ruin it,” he said. “It’d be a stupid adventure.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro nodded along. “Yeah. So, sometimes knowing ahead is no good. All the fun parts are gone. But the same for knowing bad stuff ahead, ‘cause maybe it hurts less but it means less too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy considered this, and Zoro wondered if there was a better way of wording it, but then Luffy smiled tiredly and closed his eyes. “It’s one of those things, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro. “It is.” He paused, feeling Luffy’s presence warm and solid against him. “Do you still wanna know how I knew?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>An offering. If Luffy did, he would tell him everything. The time travel, the suddenness of waking up in Alabasta and sharing space with his nineteen-year-old self before the shock on Skypiea apparently knocked the younger one away. Somewhere.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nah,” said Luffy. “If you thought it was important, you’d have already said.”</p>
<p>Zoro wondered a bit about that, because it <em>was</em> important and he hadn’t told Luffy, but he didn’t think Luffy would think it was very important. Zoro was still his swordsman, just a little bit older and a lot stronger and with the added bonus of foresight that Luffy probably didn’t even want.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, he settled down, closed his eyes, Luffy’s trust in him like a pocket of warm sunlight and decided that maybe time travel wasn’t so bad after all. Not if he could actually make a significant difference, this time.</p>
<p>In the morning, he would figure out a way to get in contact with the Whitebeard Pirates. His captain wasn’t going to lose his brother again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Going back through this arc was sad sad sad :(<br/>Up Next: Robin leaves, Zoro lets her, and then he's Angsty about it</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“To make my wish come true,” she said coldly. “A wish that can never come true if I’m with you.”</p>
<p>Zoro stared at Robin, looking deeply into her face. She had to suspect something. Maybe he could at least plant a seed of doubt. “I think it could.”</p>
<p>She stared back at him. But fear had to be stronger than any guess, twenty years a more powerful motivator than the amount of time they’d spent together on the ship. A new dream was propelling her now, more important than the true history. More important than the Void Century. </p>
<p>Maybe they had that in common.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Iceberg had been shot. Zoro felt a <em>little</em> bad for not somehow warning the guy, but he’d been preoccupied. Besides, he shouldn’t be dead.</p>
<p>It was convenient, too, that everyone else was leaving, either to try to see what happened or to search for Robin. Zoro decided now was as good a time as any to put his sort-of plan into action, if it could even be called a plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Whitebeard Pirates were enormous and still powerful in this time, and although like the other Yonko they were primarily based in the New World, Water 7 wasn’t too far away from Sabaody and Fishman Island. Plus, their communications network had to be outstanding. It was only a matter of figuring out how to deliver a message that made sense without fear of interception.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Zoro hadn’t spent time as a bounty hunter for nothing, and while the entire city was distracted by the attack on Iceberg, there might be fewer people to notice him tiptoe around. The World Government and CP9 had all eyes on Robin, and he was just some 60,000,000 pirate underling.</p>
<p>He grinned, despite himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro ended up in a bar, <em>not</em> Blueno’s, although that would be his shitty luck, with the friend of an acquaintance he’d once worked with, the same acquaintance who’d told him about the Whitebeard Pirates to begin with. He probably could’ve been more subtle, but everyone would be escaping the island soon anyway. It wasn’t like he could get in much <em>more</em> trouble.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Whitebeard, huh?” The mercenary gave him a shifty look. “You trying to start something, kid?”</p>
<p>Zoro bristled slightly but shook his head. “Just trying to deliver a message.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sure,” said the other man, who’d honestly been probably asked to do much stranger things. As long as the person paid, which Zoro was prepared to do. “I know what islands they can be found at, on this half anyway.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro had his allowance share, Luffy’s, Usopp’s, and a little bit extra that he was going to count as a <em>protection</em> fee if the witch said anything about it, considering they’d be 200,000,000 short without him anyway. And this was important.</p>
<p>It took him a minute to come up with what to say. Something clear but vague at the same time, something that spoke to the urgency of everything, but also nothing that would get an even bigger target on their ship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Somehow he remembered the name of the island, Banaro. Probably because he’d read the newspapers about Marineford countless times over the two year stay with Mihawk. Robin would be much better at this than him.</p>
<p>He ended up addressing it, vaguely, to Marco. Mentioned Teach by name, instead of as Blackbeard, as well as the second division, the Yami-Yami no mi, Impel Down, war, lots of bad shit, execution, all while using as many code words as he could think of. In the end, the letter didn’t make much sense, but it <em>did</em> mean that if the Whitebeards read it, they’d want to at least get in contact to ask what drugs the sender was on while writing it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That in mind, and his pockets lighter, Zoro gave the folded-up letter to the man. “Get it to them,” he said, with a glint in his eye that made the other man gulp. “I’ll know if you don’t.”</p>
<p>The next thing, considering he still wasn’t sure how to get in touch with the Revolutionary Army unless he literally ran into them, was sending a letter that was perfectly legitimate to an address he actually knew.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of course, <em>they</em> didn’t know him yet, but he just needed to get him interested enough…</p>
<p>Zoro shook his head. Trying to act like Robin and work behind the scenes was honestly exhausting. But this was the kind of problem that he couldn’t just cut through.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well, either the messages would be received, or they wouldn’t. Zoro had to think about what to do next in either case, although those thoughts were quickly chased away when he realized he was being chased by townspeople with <em>saws</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Keeping us out of danger, Robin?” Zoro muttered, diving down a few side streets before hearing two familiar yells up ahead and running towards them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why are you leading them towards us?!” yelled Nami. “And where have you <em>been</em>?!”</p>
<p>“It was going to happen eventually!” Zoro yelled back, choosing to ignore the second half of her question.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They ran down a side street, Luffy pinning them under a bridge precariously, and Zoro barely had a second to remember getting <em>wet</em> when Chopper’s face peaked down at them and Luffy let go with a yelp, sending the three of them into the water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Did Robin really say that?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy’s eyes were narrowed in anger as Chopper finished speaking. The four of them were sitting on a rooftop, having successfully avoided the crowds for now.</p>
<p>Chopper nodded. “Yeah.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro sighed. “Well, we have to decide,” he said, and there were a lot of things he could add. Namely, he could mention exactly why she was doing this, but like he’d told Luffy the night before… “If we believe she’s an enemy or a not.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami stared at him, her expression a mixture of confusion and sadness. Both she and Luffy knew, one way or another, that Zoro knew more than he was letting on. Or at the very least, suspected. But they needed to be the ones to make the decision, not him. He’d made it already.</p>
<p>“She says that she won’t see us ever again?” Zoro tilted his head. “Look how everyone’s acting because of the attempted assassination. There’s really only one way to make it worse.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sky was burnt orange around them, wind picking up speed as it came in from the ocean. With any luck, the mercenary was already on the sea train, moving fast away from this damn island.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Assassinate the mayor for real,” said Nami quietly.</p>
<p>“But there must be some purpose to pinning the crime on us,” said Zoro. “So, it could be a trap. Have us present at the scene of the crime.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re really thinking of Robin as the enemy?!” Nami sounded angry but she looked scared. Right, because she was reading into what Zoro was saying more this time. Normally, he’d be pleased, but that wasn’t the goal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not,” said Zoro carefully. “I’m not making any decision. If there’s something happening, it’ll be tonight. Are we going?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” said Luffy immediately, hand clenched on the brim of his hat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I agree,” said Nami. “But there’s a problem. Sanji-kun said there was a man in a mask with Robin, and Iceberg said the same thing. Obviously, it wasn’t any of us, but whoever it was could be forcing her to do these things.”</p>
<p>“We’ll just have to capture her,” said Luffy. “Otherwise we won’t know anything.” He stood up decisively. “Let’s go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was going as well as any of their plans ever went, as in Luffy didn’t listen to any of it and was currently running amok.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So.</p>
<p>There was that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Doesn’t he ever think ahead?!” Nami complained loudly. “Was he even going to <em>try</em> to follow the plan?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I shouldn’t be surprised,” said Zoro. “But…” He gritted his teeth. It would all be fine. Unless, this time Lucci got in a fatal stab and Luffy didn’t survive. Or, Robin actually shot Iceberg. Or, the cook didn’t get on the train. Or, Usopp got swept out into the storm. Or—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Dammit,” Zoro hissed, pushing the piling thoughts away. This was <em>not</em> helping.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s Luffy, though,” said Nami as they ran. “He probably caused a big racket by barreling in the front door, which means we could sneak around the back—”</p>
<p>“It’s Luffy,” said Zoro. “D’you think he’d be that considerate?”</p>
<p>Nami groaned loudly and Chopper let out a shriek of “<em>MenwithSAWS!”,</em> and that pretty much answered their question.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t remember many of the details between finding out Robin was planning to assassinate the mayor and getting on the godforsaken machine they called the Rocketman. So, he was as surprised as everyone else when he charged into the room with CP9 with Nami and Chopper behind him, just to have Luffy crashing in from the other side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“WHERE’S ROBIN?!”</p>
<p>“Luffy?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was Robin, too, probably wishing they were literally anywhere else. The other members of CP9 glanced at the intruders without any concern.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Zoro knew that this wasn’t the time or the place for a fight to bring her back, just like it wasn’t at the shipyard and like it wouldn’t be on the sea train. Robin had to believe in them, first. Had to believe her life was worth living.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi! Kalifa…Blueno, Kaku, Lucci! Quit, quit joking around!”</p>
<p>Zoro felt for Paulie, he really did. Betrayal stung. But Zoro had the benefit of foresight this time, and while he wasn’t exactly interested in getting hit by Kaku again, it would be better if CP9 continued to underestimate them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you still can’t believe me because this is too sudden,” said Lucci calmly. “Shall I step on Iceberg’s face or something?”</p>
<p>Smug bastard. Arrogant in a totally different way than Enel, but still thoroughly deserving of a beat down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin was doing a good job of hiding her fear, but not with Zoro knowing what to look for. Her eyes slightly widened, her breathing hitched, and he could practically hear her saying ‘Leave, leave, leave’ like a mantra.</p>
<p>Leave. Leave, please leave. Can’t you tell I’m trying to save you? Don’t you know what they can do to you?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They didn’t know the details yet, but it didn’t matter. Luffy wasn’t easily dissuaded by things like “Impossible odds” and especially “Let me die.” In fact, it mostly encouraged him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was jumping in to attack now, and Zoro bit back his fear, just narrowing his eyes at the leopard man. What they called ‘Iron body’. Gattling didn’t work, and in the next moment, Lucci had his finger against Luffy’s throat, sending him flying back towards them.</p>
<p>“Luffy!” Nami and Chopper both gasped, as he started coughing, hands clutched around his neck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin’s fear sharpened, and she narrowed her eyes, making her expression an even calmer mask. Deadly. “You’re not listening, are you?” she asked. “I already told cook-san and doctor-san. Did you not tell them?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I did!” cried out Chopper. “But I can’t except it either! Why Robin?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“To make my wish come true,” she said coldly. “A wish that can never come true if I’m with you.”</p>
<p>Zoro stared at Robin, looking deeply into her face. She had to suspect something. Maybe he could at <em>least</em> plant a seed of doubt. “I think it could.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She stared back at him. But fear had to be stronger than any guess, twenty years a more powerful motivator than the amount of time they’d spent together on the ship. A new dream was propelling her now, more important than the true history. More important than the Void Century.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe they had that in common.</p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t flinch, but he came close. The giant Shichibukai had been plaguing his dreams since Alabasta, even while nineteen-year-old Zoro didn’t know him, the hulking bear-man who’d destroyed him and let his captain live and separated the crew but saved them.</p>
<p>He had a complicated relationship with Kuma, sure, but that didn’t really explain why he was haunting him <em>now</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin!” Luffy was shouting now. “Don’t go!”</p>
<p>“This is farewell.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy moved and Zoro moved, feeling his blade rest against Kaku’s. The lighthearted expression on Kaku’s face turned into something more contemplative, the sharp black of Kitetsu glinting wildly, screaming for blood.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Soon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Interesting,” said Kaku mildly. Behind him, Nami screamed out “Luffy!” and Zoro was going to have to get the fucker out from the buildings, wasn’t he? His captain went crashing through the building, but Zoro held his ground. Steady.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Interesting,” said Kaku again, and Zoro broke off, giving Robin a hard look. “It won’t be that easy,” he said calmly, and she didn’t say anything, but her lips tightened.</p>
<p>Kaku was about to take another swipe, and Zoro let him, hearing Nami and Chopper scream after him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He made a neat arc into the cool, rain-splattered Water 7 night, the drops striking his hair and skin and shirt, and after he landed on the ground he just laid still, each cool breath calming the anxiety clenching his chest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In.</p>
<p>Out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The storm was coming, but Zoro closed his eyes, feeling each raindrop strike. He wasn’t going anywhere near that damn chimney. And anyway, he had a moment to be still, the wind fluttering his hair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He didn’t remember anything about the attack that must have sent him back in time, except a blinding pain, an awful pain, like nothing he’d felt since Thriller Bark—</p>
<p>And that must be why Kuma was on his mind. Except…</p>
<p>Zoro exhaled slowly, opening his eyes against the rain. He needed to be focusing on Robin, not shitty ex-Warlords and ex-Revolutionaries.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Except.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Sabo’s</em> name kept coming back to him, right before the strike that took him off his feet, like a thousand wounds reopening and his chest was on fire, like a magma soaked fist—</p>
<p>Zoro shuddered that thought away, willing his heart rate to slow down. There was a storm coming and he needed to find his captain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ROCKETMAN!” Luffy’s eyes were glowing, complete and utter joy radiating from both him and Chopper at the leering sea train, its painted-on teeth sharp and manic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt much more dubious, but somehow this hunk of metal <em>would</em> actually get them to Enies Lobby. So. You know.</p>
<p>“The shark head was attached as a joke,” said Kokoro, as if that should make them feel any <em>more</em> confident.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iceberg walked out of the train, heavily bandaged but otherwise looking good for a man who’d gotten shot several times. “Straw Hat…” he said quietly. “So, you really were okay. Just like the pirate girl said. It seems we had the same idea, Kokoro-san.”</p>
<p>“So, you were getting it ready for us?” Luffy grinned, running along the train to give it a better look. “Whoa—” He stumbled into Chopper.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iceberg sighed. “Wait to rejoice until you’ve survived the ride. No matter how much it’s tuned up, the steam engine can’t control the speed. I can’t guarantee your lives.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy laughed like that made it even better. Which, to him, it probably did. An <em>adventure</em>.</p>
<p>“Come on! Let’s get on board! We’ll leave as soon as Nami—” He nearly fell over again, grimacing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy, are you okay?!”</p>
<p>“He probably bled too much,” said Zoro, rolling his eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I do feel kind of weak,” Luffy grumbled. “If only I had some <em>meat</em>—”</p>
<p>Like some divine cue, Nami and the two hapless workers she’d coerced into helping her came running in an enormous bag with them. “Sorry about the delay!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nami! Where have you been?! Weren’t you the one saying we were in a hurry?!” Luffy frowned, looking at the bag. “What’s in there anyway?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Meat and booze—"</p>
<p>“I’m sorry I complained!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grinned and grabbed a bottle. The witch <em>did</em> have it in her to be nice sometimes. As if hearing his thoughts, Nami shot him a wry smile.</p>
<p>“Is Robin going to be okay?” she asked quietly, as Luffy stood up to deal with the sudden entry of the Franky Family.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro blinked, glancing back at her. She wasn’t looking at him, just staring straight ahead at all the commotion. “Dunno,” said Zoro. “Depends if this hunk of metal works—”</p>
<p>Nami sighed. “I mean it, Zoro.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Was this charade doing any of them any good anymore? But no, they couldn’t afford complacency in the face of CP9 and the World Government. Not when Zoro wasn’t sure what kind of small changes could ripple into big ones. Not when he didn’t remember everything in the kind of detail that Nami herself would have.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The best he had for her, then, was—“We have to believe it, don’t we? Believe in ourselves. Believe in Luffy. Believe that Robin will allow us to help her.”</p>
<p>“When did you get so thoughtful?” asked Nami, a single eyebrow raised. Good, it looked like that answer would do. For now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Since always,” said Zoro. “Come on, let’s get on this death trap before Luffy invites anyone else to come along.”</p>
<p>“Ne—they’re coming along?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Urgent message from your conductor!” Kokoro’s voice played over a loudspeaker as Zoro took another swig of alcohol. “The train will get onto the railway shortly. Once that occurs, it will rapidly accelerate. Hold on tight to something so your injuries won’t be as severe!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, we’re getting injured regardless?” Nami asked aloud, a pained expression already forming.</p>
<p>She was showing a healthy skepticism in the ability of this failed train to take them across a stormy ocean, and Zoro shrugged. “We should probably listen to her.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Our dumbass captain <em>probably </em>shouldn’t be outside on the train,” grumbled Nami, glaring at Zoro like it was somehow his fault.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You think I can tell him what to do?!”</p>
<p>“You could <em>try</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And even though he was prepared for the burst of speed, it still sent him flying, gritting his teeth and Chopper and Nami were shrieking. He saw a Luffy-shaped blur get flung outside and rolled his eyes. Served him right.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But after the train connected, there was nothing they could do. No steering, no turning around. And they all sat in the car together, half the people present dripping wet. This was including the shipwrights, who must’ve snuck on at some point, and the few representatives of the Franky Family.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“WHAT?!” The two shipwrights gasped, after being informed that Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa, and Blueno were in fact CP9 operatives. “But you said they were visiting home!”</p>
<p>“At a time like this?!” Paulie yelled back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s nose twitched as Luffy tore off another chunk of meat before standing up. “We all fought each other back on Water 7,” he said, voice unusually serious. It grabbed the attention of everyone in the train car. “But now we have a common enemy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>An alliance. Now, wasn’t that funny to think about?</p>
<p>
  <em>Purupurupurupru</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Nami reached into her shirt and pulled out a transponder snail, prompting several predictable reactions from the damn perverts on the train as Zoro just sighed. It had to be the cook calling, probably informing them that he was with Usopp and Franky now too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sanji-kun!”</p>
<p>“Ah, Nami-san? Nami-san? Can you hear me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami would explain to him why Robin had done what she’d done. Zoro knew what the cook’s reaction would be, knew the anger he would feel. He restrained from sighing. The cook saw all of this first-hand, and <em>still</em>—</p>
<p>Nope. Zoro wasn’t going down that road again. Judging from the screams outside, it was time to take down the Aqua Laguna wave. “Oi, Luffy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was soaking wet but grinning widely, even as Luffy flashed a victory sign to the gob-smacked collection of shipwrights and Franky Family staring at them open-mouthed and impressed.</p>
<p>They returned to the train, and Zoro shook his hair free of water as they approached the transponder snail. “Oh, Sanji!” Luffy exclaimed. “How’s it going over there? Where’s Robin?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“She’s still in their custody,” the cook replied. “But Nami-san told me the reasons behind her actions.”</p>
<p>Cold anger radiated out, and Luffy bared his teeth into something that could’ve been called a smile. “Give them hell!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Even though he knew it was coming, Zoro felt a phantom spasm of fear. The idea of any of them going up against CP9 without knowing what they were getting themselves into made his fingers twitch, especially when they were all <em>babies</em>, but CP9 didn’t want them <em>dead</em>, otherwise they probably would be.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At this point, anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, cook,” said Zoro. “Don’t be too reckless. They’re stronger than you.”</p>
<p>The transponder snail laughed. “Aw, marimo-kun. Are you worried about me?”</p>
<p>“Fuck off.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami looked nervous, a strange look in her eyes as the transponder snail went silent. Luffy was already cackling madly about wanting the train to go <em>faster</em>, as if they weren’t already hurtling through the ocean at an insane pace.</p>
<p>“I hope he’ll be okay,” she said quietly, sending a sideways glance towards Zoro, although it didn’t look like she expected him to answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro just gave her a look back, one eyebrow raised. She’d seen how strong they were in the room with Robin. Both he and Luffy had been knocked out onto the streets, Luffy so hard he’d landed between <em>walls</em> across the city. And they would be strong enough to defeat them, but not all split up. Not when Robin didn’t want them to, anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey! I see a train up ahead!”</p>
<p>“It can’t be Puffing Tom yet?” Nami frowned, while everyone else got ready to go out into the rain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If Zoro remembered correctly, it was the train cars that the cook and the others had detached, floating aimlessly on the track ahead of them. And, if he remembered correctly, he was the one who would cut them out of their way.</p>
<p>The rain felt good. Everyone was being too loud, the shipwrights and Franky Family, before a loud shout echoed in the clouds. “Zoooooo-rooooooo!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, Roronoa. He’s calling for you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Somehow, even when it was storming violently, it was like the water didn’t affect Luffy at all, just making the air around him like a hazy halo. Luffy trusted him so much. It would normally make him feel good—stronger, better. But now it burned a little, a little fire in his chest that felt like guilt.</p>
<p>Right now, there were two letters hopefully on their way to the Whitebeard Pirates and Sabaody, letters that Zoro hadn’t told his captain about that affected him very directly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Cut them.” His smile was wide and completely certain. Zoro felt a little bit like shit.</p>
<p>“Sure,” he said, stepping towards the front of the train in a slight daze, barely registering the incredulous “Sure?!” left behind in his trail.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He drew his swords, one in each hand, gripping them tightly. Did it matter that Luffy didn’t know? Would <em>Luffy</em> care about it, judge it as something important? Zoro’s gut said he wouldn’t, which was half the reason he hadn’t just told him already, but…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nitoryu Iai…” He closed his eyes, the shrieks and screams fading into background noise as the train cars got closer. He would tell Luffy, it just had to be at a good time, when they weren’t already stretched so thin.</p>
<p>Or, when he’d gotten some kind of response. Or, when he’d figured out more about how he’d ended up over two years in the past to begin with.</p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro narrowed his eyes, his breath hitching slightly as the blades glistened black. Haki was unnecessary for this attack, but he needed to practice. He couldn’t let <em>Kuma</em> break his focus, not when the man hadn’t actively haunted his thoughts in years. Never mind that the Shichibukai been a hulking, ghost-like presence since he’d arrived back on Alabasta.</p>
<p>Maybe Zoro just feared the pain that was coming. That would be a little disappointing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He steadied his blades, pushing away all thoughts of fear and pain and <em>“I will show you hell”</em> and struck the train cars, feeling them slice cleanly in pieces, the yells of shock from the marines barely reaching him.</p>
<p>“Rashomon!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fun fact Zoro really IS randomly missing during this part, maybe he was reaching out to Whitebeard, who knows??</p>
<p>Up next: Usopp is confused, Sanji is pissed, and Zoro is still clueless.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“What’d he do?”</p>
<p>Nami sighed, rolling her eyes. “To me personally, not much. Asked me what a homophone was, and then got mad at me when I told him to just look up the definition—”</p>
<p>“A homophone?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Nami, taking another gulp. “Like when two words sound the same but are pronounced differently. But he didn’t like that answer, no.” She scoffed. “But he’s been avoiding Robin and Jimbe and Franky and Brook—and after all we talked about making Jimbe feel included, and now he’s just avoiding crew members at whim?!”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>When in Wano is this set? Great question! When was the last time I read Wano thoroughly? An even better question that is in no way related.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>WANO</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It felt good, Usopp thought, to be reunited with everyone again. Really good. Even though Wano was super dangerous and they’d already had near misses, it was worth it to see everyone back on the ship, taking a moment to <em>breathe</em> thank god, and also make new plans. A Luffy-and-Zoro sized hole had been thrown in the last one, not that Usopp was very surprised.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’d been doing that since day one, after all.</p>
<p>Zoro getting injured wasn’t very surprising either, and as much as he’d managed to avoid bleeding out in the New World, Usopp definitely remembered a time when all of Zoro’s fights ended in a ridiculous accumulation of injuries. More surprising was how long he was unconscious, and how that meant a new set of plans too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A weight was lifted, when he’d started laughing at Sanji’s eyebrow as they all crowded into the med bay, everyone more worried than they wanted to let on. It had been bad, for a while, Chopper had admitted to him, shaky and scared. Almost as bad as…</p>
<p>Well, no one liked talking about Thriller Bark.</p>
<p>But things were going to be okay! Zoro had pulled through, Chopper was pleased with his recovery, and yet…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No one had said anything, but Zoro was acting <em>weird</em>. Or, weirder than normal. Some weirdness was probably to be expected, even though Luffy swore he’d talked about the whole ‘Sanji-thing’ with him not once but <em>twice</em>, and even though Sanji himself was reasonably sure they’d gotten back to normal, suddenly they just…weren’t.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was acting skittish, avoiding eye contact with nearly everyone except Luffy, asking questions about the weirdest laundry list of stuff (Usopp didn’t even think Zoro <em>liked</em> Vivi that much, but here he was acting like any of them had seen her recently), and just acting <em>strange</em>, and Usopp knew it was stressing at the very least Chopper and Sanji out, so he resolved to talk to their resident swordsman.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If he could find him.</p>
<p>He’d searched the ship, going for the usual set of Zoro’s rigid rotation, but when he eventually tracked him down, it wasn’t… well, it wasn’t what he expected.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why,” asked Usopp. “Are you in the girl’s room?”</p>
<p>Zoro turned around, looking like Usopp had caught him off guard somehow, which just didn’t make sense. “Uh…is that what this is?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re joking,” said Usopp, deadpan, but just because he hadn’t seen Zoro somehow get lost on their own ship didn’t mean it wasn’t possible. After all, this was the same guy who’d get lost going in a straight line.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s <em>confusing</em>,” insisted Zoro, looking remarkably petulant.</p>
<p>Usopp rolled his eyes. “Well, if <em>you’re</em> caught here, Nami would probably believe you. Not me though. Where are you <em>trying</em> to go?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’d ended up in their room, Zoro eyeing the wanted posters like they’d done something to him personally, and <em>oh—</em>he was probably annoyed with Sanji’s, wasn’t he?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey,” said Usopp, encouragingly. “I’m sure you’ll kill a bunch of samurai and everyone will be properly intimidated by you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro let out a grunt, and usually Usopp would consider himself pretty good at interpreting Zoro’s grunts, but this one was somewhere in between “I don’t give a fuck” and “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” And he wasn’t exactly sure where to start. Zoro wasn’t really the type to open up about stuff, but Usopp considered himself a good listener. Plus, while the others were planning, they had the time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you, uh, good?”</p>
<p>That probably wasn’t his best opener. But to his sort-of surprise, Zoro didn’t snap or scoff or threaten to stab him, instead letting out a long sigh. “It’s that obvious?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well…” Usopp thought about Sanji withdrawing into the kitchen, Chopper’s worried expression, Robin’s comments, Brook’s confusion at the strange distance he was keeping. “I mean, if something’s going on, you can always talk about it, y’know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro made a face. “Well it’s nothing <em>bad</em>,” he muttered. “Just…there’s a lot that’s changed, and I guess it’s all fine, but it would’ve been—I mean I <em>trust</em> Luffy, but there’s so many new people and everyone’s got <em>relatives</em> now and Devil’s Fruits and no one even <em>told</em> me about the wedding or why Luffy went and stopped it—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So it <em>was</em> about Sanji. But then… Zoro had been with them on Zou when Bege had kidnapped him, hadn’t he? He obviously knew there was a wedding, and it shouldn’t even have been a question as to why Luffy had gone after him and stopped it, unless… wait, had Zoro somehow missed the memo about Pudding and the others planning on killing him and the other Vinsmokes?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp could’ve <em>sworn</em> Zoro was part of that conversation, but well, he’d missed big things before. “Well,” said Usopp. “I mean the wedding wouldn’t have worked out for a lot of reasons.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And that’s okay? Like, everyone’s good with that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Clearly you’re not,</em> thought Usopp. “I mean, everyone gets why it happened the way it did. Plus, Sanji wanted to save his family, and she had the gun and was going to use it, and I know Nami was upset about it for a while too, but she understood—”</p>
<p>Zoro was staring at him now, and Usopp was wondering if somehow everyone had just forgotten to actually tell him what happened? Maybe he just slept through whenever they’d talked about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“She was going to shoot him? What?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, between you and me, I think she fell for him a little at the end,” said Usopp, grinning now, although Zoro did not look amused. “But then it was all worked out. Luffy’s good, even Nami’s good! But you’re kind of freaking Sanji out, don’t tell him I told you.”</p>
<p>“Ok-ay,” said Zoro slowly, as if this was all a lot of information he wasn’t expecting. Honestly, Usopp should’ve known when Luffy said they’d talked about the whole thing he was exaggerating. But look what some nice, clear communication was doing! Zoro and Sanji would be back to their weird, slightly homoerotic rivalry in no time!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And,” Usopp cleared his throat. “I know you’re just looking out for Luffy. And the whole crew. I probably know better than anyone.” He offered Zoro a small smile, one Usopp hoped said that he’d learned a lot from Merry and Water 7. “But I think it’s a lot different. I know, looking back, my reasons weren’t good. It’s a lot more like what happened with Robin.”</p>
<p>Zoro blinked at him for a moment, as if he’d somehow forgotten that Robin had also been forced away from the crew, driven by fear. “More like what happened with Robin,” he echoed. “She have a failed marriage too?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp laughed. If Zoro could make jokes about it, it couldn’t be that bad. “You got it,” he said, still chuckling. He missed Zoro’s sudden panicked expression. “Hey, and Franky too, by that measurement!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was quiet, his face twisting into something almost like amusement. “I guess I’m not super good at noticing this stuff,” he admitted. “But what’s important is we’re all here now, right? And everyone’s good.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp sighed, relieved. The whole Big Mom incident probably did sound stranger if Pudding’s ‘betrayal’ wasn’t taken into account, and honestly? Zoro probably just needed to talk it out. Figure out how it all fit into his strict code of honor.</p>
<p>“Right,” said Usopp. “And you’ll get to mess up one of Law’s new plans soon enough.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro smiled for what felt like the first time since he’d gotten hit. “That doesn’t sound too bad,” he said, and Usopp took that as his cue to stand, leaving Zoro a minute to process everything.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Lunch’ll probably be soon,” he said, backing out the door. If he’d stayed another few seconds, he would’ve heard Zoro mutter “Luffy must be <em>really</em> against crew weddings, huh.”</p>
<p>But he didn’t.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, I talked to Zoro.”</p>
<p>Sanji gave Usopp a stiff glare, tossing something in one of the many pans currently cooking. “What?” asked Usopp back. “It’s not like you were going to.”</p>
<p>“I have nothing to <em>say</em> to him,” grumbled Sanji.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It went well,” continued Usopp, as if Sanji hadn’t said anything. “Mostly because I think he somehow missed every single debrief about the wedding. Like, he acted like this was his first time hearing about Pudding and the gun and everything.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji turned and stared at him. “That’s literally not possible.” Usopp shrugged in return.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what to tell you. I think he was just slow on the uptake.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is the moss-head <em>that</em> stupid?” Sanji closed his eyes. “Although, he did ask me how the cake was. I thought he was doing it just to be an ass, but…”</p>
<p>“He asked you how the cake <em>was</em>? Like how it tasted?” Usopp laughed, only a little incredulous. “Yeah, that’s got to be it. And when Luffy said he talked to him, he must’ve just done a really bad job. Zoro needs things laid out <em>simple</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That made Sanji crack a smile, and Usopp could feel some of the tension slipping away. “Dumb, confused moss-heads,” he said, agreeably. “Now, get out of my kitchen.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp went to Chopper next, since he knew the little guy had been worried about Zoro’s strange behavior too. And it wasn’t anything Usopp could put his finger on—he wasn’t <em>avoiding</em> him, but normally Chopper would climb on his shoulders without any care in the world.</p>
<p>It was almost like he felt like he couldn’t anymore.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yo,” greeted Usopp, walking into the cool air of the med bay.</p>
<p>“Usopp!” said Chopper excitedly, dashing over. “Do you wanna go over to the submarine with me? Law said he would show me some of his medical books—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah, maybe some other time.” It wasn’t that Usopp didn’t <em>like</em> Law—he’d definitely got over a lot of his reservations/deep-seated-terror during the hell that was Dressrosa and then the two weeks on a submarine together. But the gangly doctor still freaked him out. “I talked to Zoro.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper stopped and gave a nervously hopeful expression. “How was he?”</p>
<p>“Really confused,” said Usopp, and he summarized their conversation as Chopper’s eyes progressively got larger.</p>
<p>“What if his head is injured?!” asked Chopper frantically. “I warned him about concussions! If he isn’t careful—what if he has brain damage?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It was explain a lot,” said Usopp, his nose twitching, but he stopped grinning when he saw how stressed Chopper looked. “Oi, I’m joking. I’m sure it was just him being forgetful. There <em>has</em> been a lot going on, even I was having trouble following along!”</p>
<p>“Maybe I should schedule a diagnostic while we’re on hold…” Chopper mused, looking over a clipboard of notes. “I wonder if Law has any equipment for CT scans.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp wasn’t sure how it happened. It didn’t make any sense, it defied all logic, and yet here everyone was, on the decks of Sunny, getting completely shitfaced.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some combination of Law’s intense stress paired with Zoro apparently asking him something that had upset the other swordsman, paired with Sanji and Chopper’s sudden bad moods, combined with the glumness Franky and Brook were radiating… Okay, so Usopp knew it was all somehow Zoro’s fault, he just didn’t know <em>why</em>.</p>
<p>He’d really thought he’d figured it out. But here they were, in <em>Wano</em> the territory controlled by <em>Kaido</em>, and everyone was drinking like he’d already been defeated. Except they were missing the typically accompanying <em>happiness</em>, and instead everyone looked like they were angry at some invisible enemy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cue to Zoro drinking liquor in the middle of the ship, apparently completely unaware that he was the root cause.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami had taken a long swing of <em>something</em> strong looking, a scowl forming on her face. Usopp normally would’ve stayed very far away from that, but she pulled him over.</p>
<p>“Ah! N-Nami!”</p>
<p>“What’s his problem?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp did not need to ask who. “What’d he do?”</p>
<p>Nami sighed, rolling her eyes. “To me personally, not much. Asked me what a homophone was, and then got mad at <em>me</em> when I told him to just look up the definition—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A homophone?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Nami, taking another gulp. “Like when two words sound the same but are pronounced differently. But he didn’t <em>like</em> that answer, no.” She scoffed. “But he’s been avoiding Robin and Jimbe and Franky and Brook—and after all we talked about making Jimbe feel included, and now he’s just avoiding crew members at whim?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is he?” asked Usopp, looking over at said crewmates. They all did look glummer than usual, although it could be hard to tell sometimes, but Franky normally would be much louder and taking up more space, Brook would normally be singing, but they all just looked… sad.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp winced. This wasn’t going well. And to think he thought he’d figured it out…</p>
<p>“He’s only talking to the two of us,” said Nami abruptly. “And Luffy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp frowned. Was that true? It did seem like every other person on the ship was getting some bizarre silent treatment that Zoro didn’t even seem to be doing on <em>purpose</em> which was just depressing.</p>
<p>Noticing a bottle that was innocently sitting unopened, Usopp grabbed it and decided the hangover would be worth it. Probably.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji was mad. Worse, everyone knew he was mad, which just made him madder. It was an endless cycle, hastened by the shitty green-haired bastard in front of him, drinking like this was some sort of party when <em>really</em> it was Sanji’s attempt to ‘deal with’ things and then Franky wanted to ‘deal with it’ too and Law really needed anti-depressants and to sleep for longer than an hour every night, but in this case alcohol would have to suffice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji hadn’t drunk to <em>get</em> drunk in a long time, mostly because being the cook on Luffy’s ship was more akin to being at the epicenter of a tornado that vacuumed meat, and when he did have downtime he liked to actually remember it the next morning, which didn’t tend to happen when he was drinking liquor as fast as he currently was.</p>
<p>But he did not give a <em>fuck</em> and was it the best way to deal with things? Probably not, but it appeared everyone else was taking a cue from his book, including the fucking swordsman himself, somehow looking more at ease than he had all fucking day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He knew what Usopp said was too optimistic. Sure, it would be nice to think that Zoro was just <em>misunderstanding</em> things, but that didn’t explain everything else. Zoro, <em>Zoro</em>, refused to rise to his bait, refused to fight him back, refused to look <em>him </em>in the eye but was giving Sanji these weird, impossible to read expressions in return.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, he wasn’t forgiven. Which at this point was just an extra irritation, a wound attempting to scab over that had painfully blistered back open. It was unbelievably stupid that this moron’s opinion mattered to him at all, not when Luffy and Nami-san had…</p>
<p>Sanji took another drink and realized he couldn’t taste it anymore. It wasn’t that his opinion mattered so much, but as stupid as Zoro was, Sanji respected the hell out of him. He had to. He thought he was crazy and definitely had taken too many blows to the head ever since Baratie, before he’d known what an annoying ass he was too. But Sanji <em>assumed</em> (stupidly, the voice in his mocked), that if nothing else, Zoro respected him too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That they were both strong. But apparently that wasn’t the case, and Sanji was mad about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And it wasn’t just that either, although that was primarily driving his persistent desire to feel less, feel number. Zoro wasn’t just ignoring him.</p>
<p>Jimbe looked confused, like he’d done something to upset the stupid swordsman, <em>Robin-chan</em> was frowning more, Chopper was wringing his hooves like a nervous manic, Brook had something about being <em>stared</em> at, and Franky was currently trying to take body shots off himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, when the dumbass wandered over to the corner Sanji had claimed as his own, having the audacity to look <em>content</em>, Sanji felt a bubble of rage. His opinion <em>should not fucking matter</em> but it <em>did</em>, and Sanji blew cigarette smoke directly into Zoro’s eye with some vindictive pleasure.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Ow</em>, what’s the deal?”</p>
<p>What was the deal? What was the deal? Sanji almost laughed, except it probably would’ve sounded unhinged. “Why don’t you tell <em>me</em>?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro looked abashed, or Sanji thought he looked abashed anyway, scratching his head. “Eh, I don’t know, normally this stuff would be pretty good, but is it watered down? Don’t feel as strong.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy would be really mad if you killed his swordsman. Luffy would be really mad if you killed his swordsman. Sanji took in a very deep, very not-helpful breath.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>No</em>, it’s not,” he snapped. “Just because it’s not burning your stomach lining doesn’t mean it’s watered-down, you uncultured ass.”</p>
<p>Zoro let out a grunt of almost laughter, stretching out his arms with a remarkable inability to read the room. “Weird that everyone’s letting loose before we fight the dragons,” he commented, and if Sanji were slightly more sober he might’ve noticed that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re a real piece of shit, you know that?” said Sanji instead. “Ignoring Robin-chan. Making Jimbe feel like he doesn’t belong. Looking at Brook like he’s a fucking freak instead of our <em>nakama</em>. Acting like you’ve never seen Franky in your shitty life. And I thought even heartless shit-heads like you had a soft spot for Chopper.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He finished with a snarl, expecting to get <em>something</em> back. Some denial at least, some of that hair-trigger temper that Sanji for some fucking reason relied on. Instead, Zoro looked pale, mouth hanging open slightly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“…What?”</p>
<p>Luffy would be really mad if you killed his swordsman. Luffy would be really mad if you killed his swordsman. Probably.</p>
<p>“Don’t play dumb,” said Sanji. “You don’t need to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His superb insult skills were being wasted on someone who looked like it was somehow brand fucking news that he was acting like a lunatic. “I don’t…” Zoro swallowed, looking uncomfortable. “I wasn’t trying…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, so it’s an accident?” Sanji rolled his eyes. “Look, if this is about me, make it about me, okay? Don’t drag everyone else into it. I don’t care if you hate me, and I don’t need your permission to be here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji expected more sputtering, maybe a curse thrown his way, maybe for Zoro to stalk off and do whatever drunk moss heads did. He did not expect Zoro to stare at him and say “I don’t hate you” like some embarrassing confession. This would be so much easier if he’d stop pretending to be confused.</p>
<p>“I mean, you’re really annoying,” added Zoro, drinking his stupid drink. “But I don’t <em>hate</em> you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wonderful,” said Sanji. “So, what is it, then? I’m too weak to be here? You don’t think Luffy should’ve done what he did, but it’s captain’s orders so this is your way of dealing with it?”</p>
<p>Zoro looked completely lost. This did not improve Sanji’s worsening mood.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“For the record, I don’t need to explain myself to you,” said Sanji, the alcohol numbing the part of his brain that was telling him this was Not a Good Idea. “But I made a mistake. And I probably would’ve jumped off a tower if anyone on this ship had died for my stupidity and my fucking family that read me just as well as they did when I was eight years old and weak and useless, but they didn’t, and you can hate me for being weak, I don’t give a <em>shit</em>, but you’re jeopardizing our goal here and we can’t afford that with Kaido.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He stopped talking, his throat thick with anger, because he did give a shit if Zoro thought he was too weak now. Pitied him. But that didn’t matter if the dumbass could at least <em>act</em> like they were all on the same side here.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji risked a look at Zoro and saw with some satisfaction that he looked like he’d been punched in the face, eyes uneasy and guilty. Good.</p>
<p>“I, uh…” Zoro sounded supremely uncomfortable. “I don’t think you’re weak.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was not what Sanji expected to hear, and Zoro’s face twisted like someone had handed him a difficult math problem (or a map) and asked him to solve it. “Can…do you want to switch?”</p>
<p>He gestured to the drink Sanji was vaguely sure was just rubbing alcohol and water. Sanji made a face but did trade, taking a sip of Zoro’s ‘watered-down’ drink and, of fucking course, it tasted even stronger than the shit he was drinking. “You’re destroying your liver.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re destroying your lungs,” countered Zoro. “And I don’t think you’re weak. Why would I think you’re weak? I think it’s dumb that you don’t fight women like men, and I think it’s dumb that you don’t fight with knives ‘cause you might make a half-baked swordsman, but you’re not <em>weak</em>.” He scoffed, downing the rest of Sanji’s previous drink. Like that solved everything.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then why are you acting like this,” said Sanji through gritted teeth, his head swaying.</p>
<p>Zoro looked down at the deck. “I’m not trying to,” he said, in a resigned voice. “But things just got super complicated really fast, and I’m not really good with all the new names or the plans or what’s going on, and I really don’t want to fuck up again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You fuck up?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro. “’Cause I got taken out and it messed everything up.”</p>
<p>That did not make any sense, except that of course the shithead was blaming <em>himself</em> and not thinking about Sanji at all, which really just felt super. He didn’t hate him, he was just completely indifferent. And how exactly did that explain the way he was acting around everyone else—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t have any family,” Zoro continued, and Sanji froze, holding the bottle stiffly. “I never really did. So, I don’t know if I get it. But we’re all here ‘cause Luffy doesn’t care about what people were like as kids or if they were monsters or what they were like before, just what they’re like now. And I’m not saying it doesn’t matter, that your family is totally crazy. It does matter. But maybe you were weak or maybe you thought you were, but you’re definitely not weak now. That’s what matters most.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t even have the grace of looking embarrassed, just sort of serious, and Sanji wanted to break a bottle over his head and mortifyingly burst into tears, but it might have been the nicest thing the shithead had ever said. Then, why didn’t acknowledgement feel any different?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Alcohol</em>, part of his brain whispered, but Sanji ignored that. “Then why have you been avoiding me. And asking all these questions.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, I didn’t get how the wedding got stopped or why she was going to shoot you, so I tried to talk to Nami about it, but she just got mad at me,” Zoro said, shaking his head. “But I guess it doesn’t really matter how or why stuff happened. And uh… okay, I have been avoiding you but it’s just ‘cause I don’t really want to get burned but you should practice burning stuff, and I didn’t want to hold you back.”</p>
<p>Sanji sat back, stunned. “You thought I’d use something like Diable Jambe on you?!” That didn’t make sense. That didn’t make <em>any</em> sense, and if Sanji were thinking more clearly he’d instantly be suspicious, but unease seeped in instead. “You know I don’t actually want to kill you, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro shrugged. “You should always fight seriously,” he said. “I’d be mad if you went <em>easy</em> on me. So I just need to come up with some kind of sword attack that blocks fire.” He grinned darkly. “Plus, dragons breathe fire, don’t they? I bet it would come in handy.”</p>
<p>It was completely ridiculous, and Sanji still hated that his opinion meant <em>anything</em> to him, but… well, it did. “I’m not going to burn you,” said Sanji, rolling his eyes. Relief. He felt relieved. He didn’t know when he’d signaled that he <em>would</em>, but he had been in a shitty mood lately. “Not when we have all these shit-heads to fight.”</p>
<p>Zoro let out a chuckle, eyes turned upwards. “Yeah, we do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji’s head started to cloud over, rocking him back and forth. He was probably going to vomit soon.</p>
<p>“I’m not a judgmental guy,” said Zoro, although his voice was sounding further and further away. “Everyone should do what they want. Love who they want.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was a nice thought. Sanji was definitely going to vomit soon, and he stood up to move towards the bathroom, nearly falling over. Even if the mosshead was being less annoying than usual, he would absolutely never let Sanji forget throwing up in front of him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If he’d rushed off more slowly, he might have heard Zoro say, “And I don’t know why Nami wanted to shoot you on your wedding day, but that’s really uncalled for.”</p>
<p>But he didn’t.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The next morning was bright, glittering sunlight and cool, salt-stained breeze, and Zoro walked on the deck, stretching his arms and yawning. He’d slept better than he had in <em>days</em>.</p>
<p>Then he frowned, realizing that seemingly everyone had fallen asleep in the same spots they’d been the night before, sprawled out and snoring or awake and groaning. He was in a good mood, making much more progress with his training (he was, for the time being, still ignoring Enma), and he started to whistle something under his breath.</p>
<p>The cook was sprawled out, looking like he’d been dropped onto the ship, and okay <em>gross</em> he hadn’t noticed the piles of vomit everywhere, but it was super irresponsible to go overboard like that. What if they’d been attacked?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi,” Zoro kicked the cook in the side, since <em>apparently</em>, he wasn’t getting in his face enough. “What’s wrong with you?”</p>
<p>The cook groaned, turning over. He looked like shit, and Zoro told him as much.</p>
<p>“….going to kill you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You can’t kill my swordsman!” said Luffy, stumbling over from god-knows-where. The resulting noise elicited several other moans, people twitching and slowly getting up. Franky stumbled over and threw up over the side of the ship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro shook his head. “I thought we were supposed to be taking the enemy seriously!” he complained, missing the murderous glares thrown in his direction. “How’re we supposed to do that if everyone is getting drunk?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You drank more than anyone!” shouted Nami, though not being able to stand up lessened the impact.</p>
<p>“He’s a devil,” moaned Usopp, hand over his head. “Absolute devil.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It wasn’t that strong!”</p>
<p>“I’m going to kill him,” rasped the cook, who did not look good. “I’m going to do it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No! You can’t kill my swordsman!”</p>
<p>“Luffy-bro, why so <em>loud</em>?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro laughed, throwing his head back and feeling the sun on his scarred face. This wasn’t so bad. Not so bad at all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If I laughed, does that make it funny? pls let me know below</p>
<p>Up Next: The Babies get to Enies Lobby! I think that's what's next, anyway</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Why doesn’t she want us to rescue her?!”<br/>“She’s worried about what would happen to us after she’s rescued!"</p>
<p>Fear was powerful. Zoro thought about Nami, too, who could’ve easily sailed away from Arlong if she wasn’t worried about who and what she was leaving behind. Usopp, who’s fear of being left behind overwhelmed everything else. The cook’s fear of his family so ingrained it made him turn his back on everything he stood for. </p>
<p>It was funny watching Luffy nod his head emphatically at a plan that he was going to ignore immediately afterwards. At least this time, he wouldn’t be surprised.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>WATER 7</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His dreams were foggy and distant, but close enough that Zoro thought if he could just reach forward and <em>touch</em>—</p>
<p>There was something he was forgetting. Something important. But his dreams refused to tell him what had happened to the crew, <em>his</em> crew. Refused to show him his crew without Zoro there.</p>
<p>The Franky Family had finally warmed up to him, forgiving his earlier destruction of their house, which, okay fair. Zoro wasn’t sure how Franky himself would take it, but they all shared an enemy now. And it definitely helped that he’d defeated T-Bone barely raising a finger.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why were things getting <em>noisy</em>? Were they getting closer to Enies Lobby? Zoro cracked an eye open, saw a familiar yellow mask, and groaned loudly.</p>
<p>“Go away, Sogeking.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As he allowed himself to drift off again, he heard Luffy exclaim “Even <em>Zoro</em> knows Sogeking!” and Usopp’s stuttered “Why, yes! Zoro-kun and I go way back—” and Nami and the cook’s resigned sighs and Chopper’s “Zoro knows a real hero!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’d have to wake up soon to go over the plan that Luffy would adhere to for about two seconds, if that. But, well aware of how long this would take, it seemed important to rest while he could.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook looked tired. He’d changed, now in blue instead of yellow, and he was sitting watching Luffy and Chopper goof off with their new friend <em>Sogeking</em>. His visible eye was flickering back and forth, and he probably wouldn’t have noticed Zoro staring even if Zoro was being subtle.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was strange, listening to Robin’s plight with the added knowledge that the cook would do nearly the exact same thing two years later. It made Zoro want to shake him, ask if all these reasons would somehow change. The world <em>government</em> was after them, what was a handful of assassins? Was it worth getting them even more involved with Big Mom?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, CP9 is taking advantage of the root cause of Robin-chan’s vulnerability.”</p>
<p>Fear was powerful. It could be more powerful than logic. Robin was afraid of the brutality of the Buster Call, the unmatched devastation. The cook was afraid of his family.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That doesn’t matter!” yelled Luffy, throwing his hands up. Chopper did the same, both of them looking slightly ridiculous. “Robin’s dumb!”</p>
<p>“Why Robin?!” Nami asked, whacking him over the head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why doesn’t she want us to rescue her?!”</p>
<p>“She’s worried about what would happen to <em>us</em> after she’s rescued!”</p>
<p>“Who cares about that?” Luffy frowned. “If we don’t do anything, she’ll be killed, right?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fear was powerful. Zoro thought about Nami, too, who could’ve easily sailed away from Arlong if she wasn’t worried about who and what she was leaving behind. Usopp, who’s fear of being left behind overwhelmed everything else. The cook’s fear of his family so ingrained it made him turn his back on everything he stood for.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was funny watching Luffy nod his head emphatically at a plan that he was going to ignore immediately afterwards. At least this time, he wouldn’t be surprised.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey! Idiot swordsman!” The cook called out. “Did something happen? Why are we supposed to hold on tight?”</p>
<p>“They closed the main gate.”</p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t worry,” said Zoro. “There’s a way in.”</p>
<p>It would be a way in that none of them were going to be happy with but, well, that’s the way it went. His nose twitched. “Push on that fence, frog!”</p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The frog prepared itself and pushed, flattening the gate with a strength Zoro admired. It propelled them upward, flying above the main gate to the exaggerated shock of those below. Idiots. As if a closed door was supposed to keep any of them from saving their nakama.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro!” Nami shrieked. “You’d better have thought about the landing!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just leave it to…” And it was cute, really, how all of them had this faith in him. Only made him feel a tiny bit bad about how he was going to finish the sentence. “Luck.”</p>
<p>“Leave it up to luck?!” came a predictable scream, and Zoro couldn’t stop a small smile from forming on his face. Ah, the good old days.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You suck!”</p>
<p>“I hate you!”</p>
<p>The good old days.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t worry about the giant, though,” he couldn’t help but call out. “We’ll be fine!”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about the <em>what</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They survived their crash-landing, no thanks to anyone else, and it felt good to be standing on solid ground, idly surveying the best guards Enies Lobby had to offer. It wasn’t much. The cook was standing next to him, scowling at the people in their way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“H-hey!” gulped one of the government officials surrounding them. He shook slightly, grabbing his pistol tighter. “I recognize the swordsman!”</p>
<p>“One of Straw Hat’s underlings, the Pirate Hunter!”</p>
<p>Zoro rolled his eyes. In a way, he did hunt pirates. Just not really in the same way he did before. He heard the cook chuckle from behind him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aw, he called you an underling.”</p>
<p>“What does that make you, then? Pirate A?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook’s eyebrow twitched. “Huh?”</p>
<p>“Or, Pirate B?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was so easy to rile him up. “Oi! If I had a bounty, it’d be twice as high as yours!”</p>
<p>“Sure, Pirate C.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stop changing the letter!” So, so easy. He’d missed this, honestly, in some dumb way. Much less time for shenanigans when fighting emperors, not that they didn’t happen anyway. And this cook didn’t even have a <em>bounty</em> let alone one that was (unfairly) higher than his.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A crack of thunder drew him out of his thoughts and Zoro groaned. He probably should’ve…nah, it should be easy enough to avoid being struck with Observation Haki.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Thunderbolt Tempo!”</em>
</p>
<p>Lightning crashed down around them and Zoro managed to dodge most of the strikes, hissing as some got too close. It would not be good to get knocked unconscious <em>now</em>. “Oi, Nami!” he shouted, when it was over. “Don’t attack <em>us</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How did you not get hit?!” The cook yelled at him, his clothes singed and black. He then turned to Nami, wiggling. “Nami-swaaaaan! That shock reminded me of when I first met you~!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shut it, love-cook!”</p>
<p>“I’ll fight you right now!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Both of you,” Nami growled, pursing her lips. “We need to find Luffy now, but we don’t know where—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A loud boom echoed across the island, with a distinctive shriek of laughter. “That’s definitely where he is,” they all said in unison, before starting to run towards the noise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If he’s an idiot for rushing in,” said the cook as they ran. “What does that make us for sticking with him?”</p>
<p>“But thanks to Luffy, it seems that the marines are scattered for the time being. So, we need to head straight for the courthouse.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh no, my chronic disease is returning—”</p>
<p>“If you wanna die, stay here.”</p>
<p>“It’s suddenly cured!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was definitely something to be said for having giant King Bulls on your side, as they hitched a ride on the yellow one, the pink one behind them as they trampled over soldiers. Good, they didn’t need to waste their time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“When you see those guys,” Paulie was glaring at the still-approaching guards riding on some stupid dogs, and Zoro thought about taking them out, but they couldn’t risk taking too long—“Tell them they’re fired.”</p>
<p>Zoro snorted. “Gladly.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper was animatedly talking to the King Bull as it rampaged through, a couple marines managing to crawl up but knocked back down easily enough. Zoro hardly had to move to block the stray bullets coming towards them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, the Bull wanted to know,” said Chopper. “If it was okay that our masked friend didn’t make it on!”</p>
<p>A pause. Zoro’s eye twitched and the others gasped, looking around frantically. “Ah shit, don’t tell me he ran—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’re we going to do?!”</p>
<p>“Sogeking!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But this was familiar, Zoro just had to think hard about it. He wasn’t surprised, and there was something…no, this was the way it was supposed to happen. And Usopp had stood proudly beside them when the time came.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t worry so much,” said Zoro calmly, and instantly the cook and Nami’s eyes were on him. “We’ve all been getting stronger. None of us are apt to die so easily.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What are you saying?!” exclaimed Chopper. “Sogeking is here because Usopp asked him to—”</p>
<p>For being so smart, the little guy could also be incredibly dumb. “He’s an invincible hero, isn’t he?” said the cook, taking another wary look at Zoro, who was staring steadfastly ahead.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was going to be okay.</p>
<p>“Have some faith,” said Zoro quietly, and Nami tilted her head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aren’t you the one who doesn’t believe in god?”</p>
<p>“Not in god,” said Zoro. “In our nakama.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her eyes widened slightly, but she looked resolute. It was going to be okay. It had to be.</p>
<p>Memories slid into place as they continued to march forward, and Zoro moved faster but it still wasn’t really enough against the onslaught to completely protect the King Bulls. Not while he was so focused on everyone else. If a stray bullet managed to get Nami, Chopper, or the cook because he wasn’t paying attention…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There’s a dead end up ahead!” Someone yelled, as the pink bull thrashed around blindly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you see a dead end?” asked Zoro, standing up and eyeing the spot in question.</p>
<p>“Nope, I don’t see anything of the sort.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They moved in sync, flying towards the building, the cook’s leg outstretched and Zoro’s sword gripped in his hands and mouth, and rubble went flying as they burst through.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright,” Nami ran up beside them, panting slightly. “This is good. We need to get through these doors now.” She looked upwards. “Do you see Luffy?”</p>
<p>“No,” said the cook. “And even if we could, we can’t get up there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro knew better than to worry about Luffy against <em>Blueno</em>, but it was still nerve-wracking. Lucci would be the bigger challenge by far. “Yeah, we’re not made of rubber.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How are we going to—”</p>
<p>Zoro drew his sword and sliced, splitting the door open with a quick strike. “Come on!” He shouted. “Let’s get through the courthouse.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He thought he heard the cook say something about ‘not taking orders from mossheads’, but he maturely decided to ignore that. For the time being.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Order! Order in the court!”</p>
<p>“Good grief,” muttered Zoro. Nami was giving a similar look of appraisal to the strange convening of marines, apparently upset with them for not going along with their ‘trial.’ They were pirates, for fuck’s sake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We need to go up the staircases,” said Nami, and Zoro was already readying himself, allowing his vision to blur. His left eye throbbed, and Nami got out of the way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No time to practice like the present, right? Or, the past.</p>
<p>“H-his swords are bending!”</p>
<p>“Enbima Yonezu…” Zoro felt the shadow-like presence screech behind him. “Oni Giri!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Easy. He cut through all of them before sheathing his swords. “The path is clear.”</p>
<p>“Alright!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He didn’t get much of this easy admiration in the New World. Everyone already expected a lot, which was admirable in its own way, but here at Enies Lobby they were the <em>underdogs</em>. Pirate crew of seven willing to fight the whole world.</p>
<p>“OIIIIII! OUT OF MY WAY! REINDEER! MORON SWORDSMAN!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy would be mad if you killed his cook. Luffy would be mad if you killed his cook.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ll clear the way for Nami-san! Get out of my way!”</p>
<p>“Do you want to fucking go?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shut up!” said the cook passionately. Nami looked unenthusiastic. “I’m leading the way! Nami-san, follow me and only me!”</p>
<p>This moron. “Hey, we’re here to save Robin, remember?” said Nami, raising an eyebrow. The cook stuttered to a stop, his eyes glazing over.</p>
<p>“Ah! That’s right! Robin-chan is waiting for me to rescue her!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro rolled his eyes and definitely did not turn in the wrong direction and Chopper definitely did not threaten to make him a medicine for hopelessness. Not a second time. That would simply be embarrassing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ROBIN-CHWAAAAAN! I’M COMING FOR YOU!”</p>
<p>“Chopper, make sure it works on this idiot too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nope. Not at all. “Zoro! Follow this way, okay!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, I know!”</p>
<p>“Do you?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If we were in the middle of it, we would’ve died!”</p>
<p>“Eh? What happened to you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami and Chopper looked aggravated with him as Zoro shrugged off the pieces of debris clinging to his clothes. He’d cut their way up, hadn’t he? No use wasting time wandering through those confusing hallways.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was another burst through the roof and the cook came shooting out, landing like a dumbass. “Undoubtedly I am the first—ah! Moss!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, love-cook. Did you get lost?”</p>
<p>“OH ho ho ho ho, where’d <em>you</em> learn that phrase?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another shriek and Sogeking came flying by, and Zoro was half-relieved to see him (not that he’d been <em>worried</em> dammit), and half curious as to how the king of the snipers was supposed to land.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Awesome! Sogeking can fly!”</p>
<p>“Can he?” asked Nami warily. The short answer was no, definitely not.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin!” Luffy’s voice echoed, that distinctive annoyed petulance. “You can say you want to die and stuff, but say it by our sides!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s right, Robin-chwaaaan!”</p>
<p>“Robin! Come back!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt it. That same charge he’d felt doing this the first time but even stronger. The fierce pride growing in his stomach, the last time <em>anyone</em> would think the Straw Hat Pirates were afraid of something like the World Government. What did the World Government mean to pirates? What did the World Government mean to <em>Luffy</em>?</p>
<p><em>‘I thought the world killed him,’</em> Luffy had said, when Zoro had finally asked where Sabo had been. Why Luffy thought his brother dead all those years. <em>‘That’s what they told me. The Celestial Dragon shot him but the world made him die.’</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>No wonder his captain frankly did not give a fuck about what the world wanted or expected of them. And it was time for everyone else to see it to. “Sogeking,” he said quietly. “Can you stand up?”</p>
<p>It was time to do what they did best.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They stood on the edge in a line, each facing the black-clad CP9 with Robin trembling. She still didn’t want them there. She thought she could get both: her death and the safety of the crew, but no one was going to make it that easy for her. It was living that was always harder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Who’s that guy?” asked Luffy, making a face as <em>Spandam</em> came into view, laughing about the golden transponder and probably throwing the name Ohara around. And he couldn’t even <em>fight</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s in charge of CP9,” answered Zoro. “He’s got a punchable face, don’t you think?”</p>
<p>Luffy’s nose twitched as they continued to look forward.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Grief was etched on Robin’s face like stone. Zoro hadn’t realized how much she’d really changed since this, how the sadness had slowly left her when she realized she had friends this willing to fight for her.</p>
<p>They were all tense. They had to be, listening to Robin tell them to leave. Listening to her telling them how her fate would destroy them. The world would never stop coming for her, how a betrayal for survival was so inevitable she’d rather die now so she didn’t have to see it. That her crime was her existence itself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>‘Ace thought being born meant he was bad,’ </em>Luffy had said, seemingly out of nowhere one day when it was just the two of them. Zoro had started even then—it wasn’t like they talked about Ace a lot. <em>‘Just for who his dad was.’</em> Luffy had scoffed, looking out at the sea. <em>‘That’s stupid.’</em></p>
<p>That being the son of the Pirate King meant he’d been born a criminal. That he’d died, not for being a pirate, but for being the son of the Pirate King. Zoro clenched his sword, channeling the rage thrumming into his chest into his fight with Kaku. And, if he was lucky, a go at Spandam.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Especially when the purple-haired asshole started <em>laughing </em>again, the shit-head. “Sounds like a good argument to me!” he said, his voice nasally and shrieking. “Look at that symbol, you stupid pirates! That logo is the unity of 170 nations spanning the four seas and the Grand Line. This is the <em>world</em>! You have no idea what you’re up against, you can’t fight the entire world!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Watch us.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“I understand very clearly who Robin’s enemy is,” said Luffy, in the soft serious voice that made him sound more like the man who’d have a bounty shot past a billion, who’d be the only pirate to storm the three government strongholds, the fifth emperor of the sea.</p>
<p>“Sogeking. Shoot down that flag.”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp drew his slingshot back, pointing it carefully, and he didn’t shake at all. “Firebird star!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The flame launched like it had wings, flying over the slack-jawed faces around them, and no one in his crew even <em>blinked</em> even hesitated for a <em>second</em> that going against the world would always be worth it. The flag burned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro saw Robin’s eyes widen. Saw her face tremble. This was it.</p>
<p>“Are you insane?!” shouted Spandam. “You really think you can survive having the entire world as your enemy?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“BRING IT ON!” screamed Luffy, throwing his head back, and in that moment Zoro had the passing thought that maybe he and the elusive Dragon were more similar than he’d thought.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ROBIN!” he yelled, glaring up at the sky. Robin was trembling, tears gathering in her eyes. “We still haven’t heard you say it! Say you want to live!”</p>
<p>They could’ve been alone. Just the two of them, the rest of the world vanished in that instant, CP9 an enemy that would not divide them. The world wasn’t an enemy that could divide them. And Robin had to answer a question she’d never allowed herself even to think.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The tears streamed down her face, a thousand emotions mixed together, joy and fear and want and desperation. “I WANT TO LIVE!” she screamed, leaning forward. “TAKE ME TO SEA WITH YOU!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grinned, ready. He felt the pulse change within them, ready for the biggest fight they’d faced yet. This was what they’d came for.</p>
<p>Luffy cracked his knuckles, lips curved upwards in a smile that said <em>we’re about to fuck you up</em>.</p>
<p>“Let’s go!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The stillness lasted all of two seconds as they were imminently reminded that they did actually need a way of getting <em>to</em> Robin, and Zoro had an inkling of how that was going to go but one could always hope.</p>
<p>Franky was being a big dumbass and crying, the Franky Family was somehow being even <em>louder</em>, yelling back and forth across the chasm. Lots of “We came for you!” and “Who asked you to?!” and ah, Zoro really was missing Franky wasn’t he. That was embarrassing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then Franky was falling and everyone was screaming and Kokoro’s voice said <em>‘We’ll be there in four seconds!’</em> and that was <em>not</em> enough warning before Luffy’s face crept up into a smile and the sea train whistle blew and a stupid rubbery arm wrapped itself around them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“NOOOOO!” Nami shrieked as they plummeted down, Luffy’s wild laugh catching in the wind as the sea train burst out below them, propelled by the half-drawn bridge. “WE’RE GONNA CRAAAASH!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They did, in fact, crash.</p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t very happy about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, are you two okay?” Franky was kneeling in front of Kokoro and Chimney, and really <em>what</em> the hell was this child doing here? “Why are you here?! Why’d you bring out such a dangerous thing as Rocketman?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If <em>Franky</em> thought it was dangerous… “ALRIGHT!” cheered Luffy. “Come on guys! Get up! That was nothing!”</p>
<p>“We are not made of <em>rubber</em>,” grunted the cook, but they were all up and ready anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro made eye contact with Franky, who gave him a surprisingly strange look. Oh, right. He’d beaten Franky up, but Franky had kidnapped Usopp, so it was all good now, right? It better be.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey,” said Zoro as they started to run. “Burning up the blueprints was a <em>super</em> thing to do.”</p>
<p>Franky’s eye twitched. “You’re a weird guy,” he grunted, following suit, and Zoro couldn’t help but laugh a little. It was time to get Robin back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>(being in grad school is essentially the meme with everything on fire and the dog going 'this is fine' BUT here's an update!!)</p>
<p>Up Next: Zoro gives Kaku some advice and encourages a small murder. Luffy knows. </p>
<p>Hope you enjoyed! Lmk thoughts!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Just know,” said Zoro, because he couldn’t help himself. “When you turn into a giraffe, I’m going to laugh at you.”</p>
<p>Kaku’s wide-eyed expression was totally worth it before their blades clashed. Totally worth it. </p>
<p>They fought around the room, Zoro parrying every slice and kick thrust his way with the ease of someone who was actually using Observation Haki better than he normally would. Huh. Maybe it just needed more battle testing and less of Mihawk throwing things at him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You know, I really thought I updated this like a week ago. Time is fake!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Your swords are already drawn?”</p>
<p>Kaku was waiting for him, seated in a room. “Yeah,” said Zoro, grinning. “They’re crying out for blood, so.”</p>
<p>Kitetsu was, anyway. Hungry and itching for a fight, and Zoro was more than willing to give it one. Kaku wasn’t an enemy he would underestimate, not while Zoro’s raw physical strength still wasn’t quite to the level it would be, but he’d been training hard, and with Haki now…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You have the key to the handcuffs, don’t you,” said Zoro, not posing it as a question. He was pretty sure it was in fact Kaku who had them, but not sure enough to split everyone off differently. It was entirely possible, too, that the key had been given to someone else, since Kaku having it was kind of obvious but…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Like Lucci? Since he was actually the one closest to Robin and by far the strongest?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Want to just hand it over so we don’t waste time?”</p>
<p>“That’s a foolish question,” said Kaku, still seated. “I was disappointed to not get the chance to see your real abilities back at the mansion.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe Kaku had sensed it. That Zoro was holding back intentionally, that he’d moved a little too quickly. It didn’t matter. Zoro certainly wasn’t going to hold himself back now. And Kaku might be fast, and he might use four swords, but it didn’t matter.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just know,” said Zoro, because he couldn’t help himself. “When you turn into a giraffe, I’m going to laugh at you.”</p>
<p>Kaku’s wide-eyed expression was totally worth it before their blades clashed. Totally worth it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They fought around the room, Zoro parrying every slice and kick thrust his way with the ease of someone who was actually using Observation Haki better than he normally would. Huh. Maybe it just needed more battle testing and less of Mihawk throwing things at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not bad,” said Kaku, eyes glinting as they paused. “And I don’t know how you know about my Devil’s Fruit, but it doesn’t matter. After all, you said you wanted to do things quickly…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kaku began to transform, and Zoro fought to keep his mouth from twitching. Because, sure enough, a giant fucking giraffe was about to send them into the floor below.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh no! I meant to stop at a partial transformation!”</p>
<p>“Ah! A talking giraffe is falling towards us!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“For fuck’s sake,” muttered Zoro, as the wolf zoan started cackling. “This place is a zoo.”</p>
<p>While Jabra and Kaku argued, and Zoro had to feel a <em>little</em> bad for the guy, he really did look stupid as a giraffe, Zoro eyed Usopp who was creeping off towards a safe…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sogeking,” said Zoro, making Usopp freeze from his hurried tiptoe. “If you get <em>me</em> stuck in one of those handcuffs, so help me, I will cut you up.”</p>
<p>“W-why would I—”</p>
<p>“Just don’t come near me with them.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because if <em>that</em> was going to be repeated of all things, Zoro might as well just give up now. And honestly, the handcuffs could actually be <em>useful</em> on one of their enemies.</p>
<p>“How dare you!” Kaku was back at it, fuming. “Just wait until I show you the destructive potential of giraffes! The power I gained when I was reborn!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He started to morph, and Zoro rolled his eyes, even though the image was just as bizarre as it had been before. “You can practice your weird giraffe techniques later,” he said. “You really want to mess around with it <em>now</em>?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He sounded like Sensei, and Kaku was fuming. “The fact that you can—oi, Jabra! Are you going to stop laughing?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s a square giraffe!” Even Usopp was laughing, although at least he’d managed not to fucking throw seastone cuffs on either of them this time. “How does that happen?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hold onto those for later, Sogeking,” said Zoro, turning to scowl at Kaku. “I know I said I would laugh, but I don’t really have time for you to experiment.”</p>
<p>Kaku gave him a strange look that was immediately cut short by Jabra laughing again. “I’ll show you—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This time, Zoro braced himself, grabbed Usopp and ducked while being <em>hyper</em> aware of the handcuffs as the ceiling split, detaching the Tower of Law. Usopp was shrieking, Zoro kept his focus, and the dust finally settled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How shameful,” said Jabra, as Usopp gawked at the damage. “Showing your emotions during battle.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shut up. I like being a giraffe. I love giraffes.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro sighed, grabbing his sword. As long as Usopp stayed fucking far away from him, it would be fine. Everyone else was getting stronger, fighting their own battles, and Zoro wouldn’t ever get in the way of <em>that</em>.</p>
<p>“Are you two going to stop arguing?” Zoro asked, feeling Kitetsu shriek for blood. “There’s a key I’m looking for.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the past several minutes, Monster Chopper had appeared trying to kill them which, okay, Zoro had totally forgotten about. Then Franky was there, intending to shoot him out into the sea which, yeah Zoro had forgotten about that too. There was a lot going on, and things kept getting in the way of his fight with Kaku.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then, Nami was there, and they conveniently had the key to the set of sea stone cuffs (there <em>had</em> to be a use for them, right?), and Zoro was ready for everyone to get out of his <em>way</em> dammit—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, the cook was here now, too. Maybe that meant Zoro would stop having to fight the damn giraffe and wolf at the <em>same time</em>. “Took you long enough.”</p>
<p>The cook just lit his cigarette, a slow trickle of blood rolling down his face. Jabra snarled, pulling himself up from the rubble. “Who the hell are you?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A hunter,” said the cook, mouth sinking into a predatory smile. Zoro rolled his eyes. At least that was better than <em>Mr. Prince</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sanji-kun!” Nami exclaimed. “How’d you get out of that state?!”</p>
<p>“A bathtub fell on top of me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Good grief. Zoro didn’t remember exactly who else had fought who, or if anything in fact had actually changed, but he was ready for the rest of his crew to leave the room so Zoro could finish his own fight a little faster.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It must have broken the powers,” said the cook. “In any case…” His eyes turned to hearts and he started swaying, stupidly. “Did you fall in love with me again?!”</p>
<p>“I wish the bathtub had hit you directly.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grit his teeth. As much as he agreed, this was definitely not the time. Although avoiding the handcuffs meant they had a slightly wider cushion, the doors would be opening soon. Lucci was a ferocious opponent and this Luffy didn’t even know what Haki was, let alone how to use it. Gear Second and Third were brilliant but draining.</p>
<p>The cook could handle Jabra. Usopp and Nami were needed elsewhere.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your mistake was coming after me,” said Kaku, when they were finally alone in the garden-like room. He leered over him, his neck muscles tightening. “If you’d fought Jabra, you might have had a chance.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eating a Devil’s Fruit made you arrogant,” said Zoro calmly. There was no one in his way anymore, no one he would have to worry about protecting.</p>
<p>“Enough bluffing!” snapped Kaku. “I don’t know how you knew, but it doesn’t matter—”</p>
<p>“Doesn’t it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro smiled, slow and feral, feeling his arms prickle. Kitetsu was loud. No point in holding back anymore, and he easily disarmed the incoming attacks, his eyes narrow slits. Kaku was a strong swordsman, and the Devil Fruit power did give him more range and strength, but Zoro was going to be the best swordsman in the world.</p>
<p>“You think you can hold back against me?!” Kaku lunged, blurring with speed and ferocity as Zoro countered his attacks. “You think your crew can really go against the entire world? You think your captain can defeat <em>Lucci</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You don’t know anything about my crew,” said Zoro. “And maybe you have a crush on Lucci, but the rest of us don’t.”</p>
<p>Kaku sputtered loudly as Zoro continued, allowing himself to get into the rhythm of the fight. It wouldn’t be good for his body if he went completely all out, but he did need to practice…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I fight to protect citizens from monsters like Nico Robin,” Kaku hissed, lunging at him again with that stupid, square nose. “The ideals of <em>justice</em>.”</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>that’s</em> why you’re taking orders from Spandam.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was always good, when one was about to embrace their slightly demonic, soul-eating side, to think of things that made him angry. And truthfully, Kaku wasn’t one of those things. Instead, Zoro focused on that purple-haired moron, the self-serving coward that had taken so much from Franky, taken so much from Robin, that had laughed at their pain and only cared about his own <em>promotion</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The dark purple fire started to burn, his left eye throbbing badly now, but no. He wouldn’t let it go quite that far. This was more than enough to deal with Kaku. “Nine sword style… Asura!”</p>
<p>The same, stupid kick came towards him, but it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except that they were getting off this damn island <em>alive</em> with everyone. He’d chosen to walk the path of Asura, and the blades met flesh and cried out for blood.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kaku was still, on the destroyed floor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro willed the limbs to recede, re-sheathing his blades. “You should rethink your ideals of justice,” he said quietly. “If a man like Spandam is worth falling for. Oh, and I have a message from you from Galley-La: You’re fired.”</p>
<p>“That’s not good,” Kaku’s voice was hoarse, so much smaller now that he was a human. “Assassination skills aren’t very useful anywhere else.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro remembered what he’d said before. That he, and everyone else for that matter, should just work in a zoo. But… “You brought people a lot of joy undercover. You did a lot of good, and you threw it all away for a man who wants the world to burn to get a pay raise. If you want to fight for justice, find someone worth fighting for.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kaku stared at him for a few second before closing his eyes, and the key bounced out of his pocket. “You’re not what I expected, Roronoa. You were holding back.”</p>
<p>“I was,” said Zoro, picking up the key with the 5. “Don’t take it personally. Next time we meet, you should be fighting for something that’s worth it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, Zoro had forgotten… much more than he was willing to admit, and in the chaos of the marine ships arriving for the Buster Call (and he had to wonder, really, what the marine’s plan even <em>was</em>), he’d forgotten about getting pulled underwater and nearly drowned.</p>
<p>He did <em>not</em> forget that the drunk old lady was actually a mermaid. As much as he might’ve wanted to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The island was burning, smoke rising into the eternally bright sky. “If I ever have to do this again,” he muttered. “Getting rid of that stupid transponder snail will be the first thing I do.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro-kun?”</p>
<p>Ah, he’d forgotten Usopp was approaching him. “Just annoyed,” he said, gazing out at the skyline full of battleships. This wasn’t going to be easy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There’s as many ships as there are us,” the cook walked up behind him too, lighting another cigarette. “This isn’t going to go smoothly, isn’t it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Dunno why you’re asking me,” said Zoro, refusing to look at Usopp, the cook, or Franky.</p>
<p>“Oh, I can think of a few reasons,” the cook blew out a long stream of smoke. “Since you’re such a good guesser.”</p>
<p>Really? Right now? “You’re the worst,” said Zoro idly, watching the tower where Luffy’s fight against Lucci was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you think we need to secure another ship?” The cook was talking to Franky now, and Zoro only felt a little like killing both of them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t ask me! Is this guy really like a fortune-teller?”</p>
<p>“Hmmm, I could picture him with a crystal ball…”</p>
<p>“Shut up!” snapped Zoro. They all looked <em>far</em> too amused with themselves. “Can you worry about yourselves?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As if on cue, and this really didn’t help his case, the first half of the bridge exploded, leaving them cut off from Luffy and the rest of the island. “They’re coming back for Robin,” said Zoro, gripping his sword as the announcer called his and Robin’s names.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ships were drawing closer, the announcer louder now. “To the two-hundred elite captains! Go, take them out quickly!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“C-captains?!” Usopp was shaking beside him. “That’s the same level as that crazy smoke guy!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ah, that’s right. Before his promotion. But to be honest, ‘elite’ was a bit of a stretch here. Not that sheer numbers weren’t something they needed to be wary of, but Zoro at least was in better shape than he should be after his fight with Kaku. He’d taken a lot less damage.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just says they’re scared of us,” said Zoro. The idiot cook had vanished again, and Zoro didn’t remember where or why, but it probably was for something… more or less useful. It didn’t matter.</p>
<p>The fight that followed wasn’t really strenuous by any means, and Zoro was moving through the idiots coming after him with relative ease. Bringing back attacks meant for large crowds, keeping a careful eye out for the maniac with the stupid <em>rust </em>fruit and immediately sending him into the water before he could even open his mouth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not fucking today.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He needed to block access to Usopp. Because Usopp had taken off his mask and had to get Luffy to stand up, had to get him to <em>fight</em>, because they were all going back together.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“LUFFY!” Usopp’s yells echoed across the sounds of battle. Zoro willed himself not to look, couldn’t lose his focus, not when he needed to be everywhere at once—</p>
<p>“I came here to save Robin!” A pause, almost a hesitation, then—“And I came here as your friend!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That part might have been new, Zoro thought, the faint echo of his speech from the first time blurry and faded. It wasn’t important, what <em>was</em> important was that Luffy defeated that stupid leopard man and Zoro might <em>actually</em> never get to see this hellhole again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“DEFEAT HIM! SO WE CAN ALL GO BACK TOGETHER, LUFFY!”</p>
<p>“OF COURSE!”</p>
<p>Zoro heard the yell and grinned, sending a dozen marines flying. Soon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Th-this is a report to all ships!” The announcer sounded terrified, his voice shaking as it amplified across the destroyed island. “This is a report that… Rob Lucci of CP9 has been defeated by Straw Hat Luffy!”</p>
<p>It was like a fire had been lit through him, electrifying and brilliant. The awe and fierce pride in Nami’s face, Franky’s, Robin’s, Usopp’s, made even better by the complete horror in the marines. Lucci was a legend. Luffy would take this new legend and run with it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“EVERYONE!” His captain screamed. “WE’RE GOING TO GO BACK TOGETHER! ROOOBIN!!!!!”</p>
<p>Her eyes were tearing up, and Zoro knew it wasn’t <em>quite</em> over yet, but nothing else mattered except they were all going back together and would see one more nakama one last time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Merry…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Would Zoro hear it, this time? If he paid attention? Twice as much time spent on the same ship, combined with a steadily improving Observation Haki might mean it was possible. They would mourn again. But they would also take one more journey.</p>
<p>It hit him, like the faint ringing of bells. He watched as Usopp looked around worriedly, hands over his ears, and Zoro knew. He almost missed the return of the Franky Family and Water 7 Shipwrights, he was too busy trying to focus on the sound.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The battle didn’t stop, although Zoro was paying considerably less attention. Luffy couldn’t move. The morons had finally realized that they were going to use the escort ship to escape and had burned it, although hopefully Kokoro had helped Chopper and the others escape. The cook was still missing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The marines were firing on their own people now, cannons destroying large chunks of the bridge and sending people screaming into the water. Fire was flickering upwards from the broken ship pieces. The cook appeared out of nowhere, somehow carrying Kokoro, Nami, Chimney, Chopper, <em>and</em> that rabbit-cat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were surrounded.</p>
<p>“They’ve got us cornered,” the cook was panting hard, looking at the ships surrounding them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’ll have to fight them from here—”</p>
<p>“They’ll just send more people!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Prepare to fire on the first column immediately!” One of the voices ordered. “Eliminate Straw Hat Luffy!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro did his best to ignore his <em>Luffy’s-in-danger</em> sense and focus on getting rid of the marines still on the column with them. It was going to be okay. Already, the voice was getting louder and stronger, soon close enough—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy! Please stand!”</p>
<p>“Straw Hat! You can do it!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Everyone!”</em>
</p>
<p>Only Usopp froze, staring around him like he couldn’t believe it. “Again…?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Below! Look below!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro saw Usopp move, as if controlled to look below them. The distant, confused expression on Luffy’s face. Of course he could hear it, too. And then louder, stronger, affecting all of them with its intensity.</p>
<p>Soon. So, soon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp tilted back his head in a yell, shaking them all to the core. “Jump into the sea!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’re you talking about?!” It wasn’t Zoro this time, but the cook, as Usopp asked Robin if she could roll Luffy into the sea. “That’s too desperate!”</p>
<p>“We’ve got one more nakama!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It hit them all gradually, realization flickering in everyone’s faces, sudden hope and <em>love</em>, and they could all hear now, compelling them downwards.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And they did, waiting below, ready to save them one last time. “Follow Luffy!” shouted Usopp, and they all jumped. No fear. Nothing but joy.</p>
<p><em>“Let’s go, everyone!” </em>The voice sang. <em>“Back to the sea of adventure!”</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy… and everyone,” Robin stood up. “Thank you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Relief. Relief and just an overwhelming sense of calm. Zoro found himself smiling too, even being hyper aware that they weren’t completely out of the storm yet.</p>
<p>“Shishishi,” Luffy was still immobile on the deck. “Of course.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We should probably save that for when we get out of here,” said Zoro, figuring that was a slightly less blunt way of putting it when sure enough, the cook and Chopper were onto him again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s that, you damn marimo?!”</p>
<p>“Shut up! If we die here, it’ll come to nothing, right?!”</p>
<p>They were all completely ridiculous.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Spandam is alive,” said Franky sourly, as the ships prepared to fire cannons at them. But it seemed like the cook’s interference did the trick, as the gates of justice began to close and the cannons avoided hitting Merry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rest of the cannonballs they deflected, Zoro almost lazily cutting the sky. All they had to do was make it a little bit longer. And let their stupid captain ‘help’ get rid of the cannonballs too. As if he hadn’t helped enough.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s enough, Luffy!”</p>
<p>“Shut up! I’m your captain!” He couldn’t even get the <em>words</em> out properly. At least Zoro and the cook were on the same page for this one.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro laughed, putting him back down. Maybe <em>that</em> would teach him. “You really saved us, captain!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just as we’d expect from our captain!”</p>
<p>“Are you guys demons?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro could see Spandam, in the distance. Robin was watching him too, her expression curiously blank. And Zoro didn’t know if anything would be different, all he knew was rumors that somehow Spandam had actually made it, and that just seemed like a terrible oversight.</p>
<p>“I don’t think we need to see him ever again,” he said, eyes glinting at the coward in question.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That made Robin almost smile, the grim determination in her face. Luffy didn’t like killing opponents, which Zoro often respected, and which Robin usually respected too. But this guy was a different story. “I think you’re right.”</p>
<p>The hands broke his back in two, and the former-assassin Nico Robin pitched his body forward, broken in half in the sea. Spandam was dead.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Too bad I couldn’t slit his throat,” muttered Zoro, but he spared Luffy a small, fond smile as his captain grinned broadly. They were sailing away from the burning, crumbling island and the kind of victory most pirates would die for. They were all together, having taken on the world and <em>won</em>, and maybe things would get worse but Zoro hadn’t felt this light in a long time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She wanted to set sail for them one more time. And so, Iceberg had fixed her, allowed her to move past her limits to sail with them one more time, to save them one final time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A miracle. And not just to be loved so deeply by one ship, but for there to be another to embody its spirit so fully and love them just as strong.</p>
<p>And now it was time to let her rest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you guys ready?” Luffy asked quietly, in the small boat ahead of them. Zoro took in a final look, or, well, he’d thought that the first time, and committed their ship to memory. The look on Merry’s face. How far she’d carried them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy brought the torch close. “Merry, the seabed is dark and lonesome. We’ll watch you until the end.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The fire began to catch, slowly spreading across the deck. Zoro glanced at Usopp, be he stared steadfastly ahead. Even he knew, now.</p>
<p>“Thank you for carrying us for such a long time, Merry.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mourning was funny, sometimes. Zoro didn’t cry, even though the sadness sunk deeply into his stomach for the second time. When something was over, a great journey achieved, a life lived without regret, the tears just didn’t come.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin didn’t cry either, but Zoro thought it was for different reasons. She had a lifetime of not letting emotions reach her face, joy, grief, surprise, and fear alike. Even though he knew she felt them deeply.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami and Chopper wore their hearts on their sleeves so openly, the tears flowing and reflecting in the golden light of the fire as it continued to burn.</p>
<p><em>“I’m sorry.” </em>The gentle voice rang out, kind and true. <em>“I wanted to carry you a little further.”</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>The tears leaked out from under Usopp’s mask. There was no shame in crying, no shame in grief. Usopp was never himself when he kept emotions far from him, anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“I wanted to keep going on adventures forever!”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Merry!” Chopper cried out, as Nami fell to her knees.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s us who should apologize!” Luffy shouted, and he wore his heart on his sleeve too, and Zoro really wouldn’t have it any other way. “I’m no good at steering so I ran you into icebergs! And I tore the sail! And Zoro and Sanji are stupid so they broke all sorts of things, and Usopp would try to fix it but he wasn’t that good, so we’re the ones—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>“But I was happy!” </em>Luffy looked back up, tears covering his face. <em>“Thank you all for taking such good care of me! I’ve really been so happy!”</em></p>
<p>Zoro wondered if the cook was crying beneath his bangs, or if he was trying to stay tough. Franky was crying now full force, and he hardly knew Merry, but he did know she was so so loved.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And in that moment, surrounded by the sea and the towering fire, Zoro missed his crew. It was lodged in his throat, a creeping grief that had been threatening him since Skypiea when he’d finally figured it out. Because his crew was either gone forever or had mourned his death and moved on, and either way he would never see them again. Not in the same way.</p>
<p>It hurt. It hurt more than Zoro wanted it too, made him feel a strange shiver of loneliness that he hadn’t felt since being on Mihawk’s island. But even then, everyone else was in the same position, working hard to get stronger.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He missed his Luffy, missed Brook and Jimbe and somehow even Law. Missed everyone being together in the land of the samurai, even if they were up against stronger enemies than they ever could’ve imagined. At least they were together.</p>
<p>There wouldn’t have been a body to burn, Zoro supposed. If he had really just vanished. Would they have had a funeral like this one? It made him sort of nauseous to think about.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Merry!” Luffy cried out, and despite everything, a single tear rolled out of Zoro’s eye unwillingly, a testament to a future he didn’t think he’d see again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Exhaustion was biting at him, pulling him downwards, but Zoro remained steady as Luffy leaned against him and they walked towards the house. They were all exhausted, all pushed themselves too far, and the wet air of the storm still hung in the air as they passed through it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Back on Water 7. And Zoro was ready for a long nap.</p>
<p>The sun was bright in the sky, but it didn’t matter. None of them had slept in so long, not a full night since before they’d come to the island. Zoro didn’t even want to count how many hours that was, not to mention this body needed more rest than he was used to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone nearly collapsed when they got to the room prepared for them, and Zoro set Chopper down gently. He’d fallen asleep on Zoro’s shoulders on the walk from the shore.</p>
<p>A few moments later, Zoro followed, allowing the tiredness to seep through him and let him rest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t sure how long it had been when he woke up, but it was dark outside and everyone around him still had the deep, slow breaths of sleep. Except one.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was outside, which didn’t make any sense. He needed to sleep for a lot longer than a few hours, by the looks of the sky. The fight with Lucci had done so much damage.</p>
<p>Quietly, so as not to wake the others, Zoro moved outside. It was cool, a faint breeze floating in from the sea. “Luffy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy turned. “Ah, Zoro.”</p>
<p>“You should sleep.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re not sleeping,” countered Luffy, and Zoro sat beside him. It wasn’t his captain, but it was at the same time. Maybe that would be enough.</p>
<p>“I guess I’m not,” said Zoro. Luffy wanted to ask him something. He could feel it, even without Haki. But then, he’d always been good at reading Luffy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re Zoro,” said Luffy after a minute of comfortable silence. “But you’re a different Zoro.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was the truth, stripped of anything else. Zoro waited before answering, remembering how happy he was to see Luffy on Wano. The relief that they’d escaped Big Mom. The thrill of fighting side-by-side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“Hmmm,” Luffy nodded slowly, still looking off into the distance. “Is that okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro almost laughed at Luffy asking him that. “I don’t know, it’s what it is, I guess.”</p>
<p>“Is Zoro happy?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Happy… Zoro thought about Nami shrieking at him, the way he’d fought with the cook by his side, Chopper riding on his shoulders, hearing Robin scream out that she wanted to live, watching Usopp stand bravely in front of an enemy he couldn’t beat, how Franky had given everything for a group of strangers he didn’t know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think so,” said Zoro. “Just a little homesick.”</p>
<p>“Shishishi,” Luffy patted his head. “They’re all guessing, you know. All really bad guesses. Maybe they’re just stupid.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Were they, now? Zoro’s nose twitched. He wasn’t sure what was better, that Luffy knew and didn’t seem to think it was a big deal at all or that he knew the others were curious and didn’t think to tell them. “Are you mad I didn’t tell you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nah,” said Luffy. “It’s like you said. The fun part is not knowing what’s next,” he sobered slightly. “And the hard part, too. ‘Sides, if you thought I needed to know you would’ve said.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He missed Luffy a lot. The New World was so much more complicated. “It took me a while to figure it out,” admitted Zoro. “My head had too much in it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s just ‘cause you’re dumb.”</p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you wanna go back?” asked Luffy, his fingers playing with Zoro’s hair. Zoro couldn’t bring himself to mind.</p>
<p>“I dunno If I can.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy hummed. “We’ll figure it out,” he said, his voice getting sleepier but just as confident. “You get really strong, huh?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re stronger, Captain.” And that made Luffy laugh.</p>
<p>“Can Zoro teach me some of the other stuff?” asked Luffy, and Zoro had a pretty good idea what that meant. Maybe he wasn’t as sneaky as he’d thought.</p>
<p>“’Course,” said Zoro. “Are you going to tell everyone else?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because that would change things. With Luffy, things could stay the same, as easy as anything else. Zoro could turn into a werewolf and Luffy would be thrilled. Everyone else would be different, though. Asking about the future, treating him differently.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tell them what?” Luffy scrunched his eyebrows together. “That Zoro is Zoro?”</p>
<p>Zoro sighed, warm affection pouring into his chest. “You make a good point,” he said, bringing himself to stand up. “Now, bed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy followed him without complaint, eyes still turned upwards, victory flushed against his skin. They laid back down, and Zoro felt a rubbery arm wrap around him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ne, Zoro?” The whisper came, low and excited. “There’s lots of adventures, right?”</p>
<p>An island thousands of meters below the ocean, an island where it rained syrup and candy spoke out loud, an island of toys and gladiators, an island half frozen half fire, and the island of samurai. The underground sea prison, the infamous island of women, and the castle full of shadows and ghosts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, Captain,” he whispered back. “Lots of adventures.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And, Luffy knows! And doesn't really care, because let's be honest, he totally wouldn't. Still responding to your lovely reviews, but finals are in full swing so I may take a minute (wish me luck!!) </p>
<p>Up Next: Zoro and the author exude chaotic energy, and Luffy has three dads</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Cotton Candy Lover Chopper, pet! 50 belli!”</p>
<p>A point for marine intelligence. Somehow smart enough to figure out Chopper’s favorite food without realizing he was also a combatant and doctor, and still in the New World. Zoro pet him on the head in an attempt to be comforting. </p>
<p>Robin and Sogeking next, and then—</p>
<p>Zoro couldn’t help it. He let out a wild howl of laughter that turned into choking as Sanji stared at the badly drawn photo with horror. “Who is this?!”</p>
<p>This was the best day ever.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zoro woke up earlier than he’d expected, having not sustained the same devastating damage as everyone else, and quietly made his way out of the house. He felt better with Luffy confirming that he knew. Maybe Luffy had known it longer than he did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another day had passed, and the sun was setting, making everything look orange and gold. Water 7 really was a beautiful city, when things weren’t going to shit.</p>
<p>He allowed Observation Haki to guide him, through the narrow streets and bridges. Most people would be returning the next day from wherever they’d evacuated to, and so the streets were still quiet. It was nice, after so much chaos.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp was in a strange part of town, some kind of almost underground bunker that had been partially destroyed, and really that wasn’t great considering the severity of his injuries. Chopper was still recovering, but he’d be looking at them all soon, and with any luck Usopp would be there this time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wanted to try, anyway. “Hey.”</p>
<p>Usopp jumped up, whipping around to stare at Zoro with a wide-eyed expression. “Zo—what?! How’d you—”</p>
<p>“Just wandering through town,” Zoro sat down next to the makeshift bundle of sheets Usopp had been sleeping in. He leaned back, giving him a pointed look.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What are you doing here?” asked Usopp warily, slowly sitting back down. The visible bruises were fading into yellow.</p>
<p>Zoro shrugged. “Figured it was as good a time as any.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“To tell me I don’t deserve to come back,” came Usopp’s response, low and painfully sad. There was hardly any animosity.</p>
<p>“What? No.” Zoro shook his head. “You know I don’t hate you, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But…” And Zoro knew what Usopp was probably thinking of. He was the one, after all, who’d made sure no one got in the way of his fight with Luffy. He was the one who didn’t seem fazed or upset when he’d left.</p>
<p>“I disagree with the way you handled things,” said Zoro, raising an eyebrow. “But you risked as much as we did to get Robin back. You fought bravely, even behind a mask.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I want to go back,” Usopp’s voice was muffled. “More than anything.”</p>
<p>Zoro sighed. He knew that. That’s why he was here. He wasn’t going to wait until it was almost time to leave, even though he felt just as strongly about respect for Luffy, maybe he’d gained a little perspective too. “Then you need to talk to Luffy and apologize.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp stared at him, his expression difficult to read. “No matter what your reasons were, you didn’t trust him. He’s our friend but he’s also our captain, and even though he can be an idiot, he was right to make that call. And you have to respect him when he makes those calls.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I didn’t want to be left behind too,” came Usopp’s quiet admission, and now he was looking anywhere but at Zoro. “But I wanted to do it with honor, like how Luffy fought the duel against the ice guy for all of us—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sometimes pride and honor can have a funny way of looking the same,” said Zoro. “You’re not weak. You’re one of the strongest people I know. And Luffy misses you. But he can’t have a crewmember who won’t listen when it’s important.”</p>
<p>“You think he’ll listen to me?” Usopp asked finally, wiping something from his eye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s Luffy, isn’t it?” said Zoro, standing back up. He should probably be back before the others realized he was gone. “There’s no shame in apologizing when you’ve done something wrong. The true shame would be if you let that pride get in the way of chasing your dream with the people who care about you.”</p>
<p>He left the funny, underground room and hoped Usopp thought about it. Even just a little bit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t sure how it all got worked out, since apparently the 200 million he’d saved from being taken by Franky was supposed to go towards the Adam tree wood to build their new ship, but it did. Maybe some things were fated after all. The same wood that carried Gol D. Roger across the world, built by the apprentice of its shipwright.</p>
<p>(Who would eventually become their shipwright. Even though he hadn’t figured that out yet.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His eyes were closed, and he felt himself getting sleepier. A new ship being built, the money going exactly where it needed to go… Zoro allowed himself to relax a little. There wasn’t anything else he needed to worry about on Water 7, was there?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is this where the Straw Hat Pirates are?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ah, dammit. “Don’t…. want to deal with Garp…” mumbled Zoro under his breath, attempting to wiggle out of view.</p>
<p>“What are you doing?!” hissed Nami, and shit, he’d been spotted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That damn brat!” Garp pounced and Zoro definitely wasn’t going to get any sleep with them being loud as hell like this. “Wake up!”</p>
<p>Stupid, stupidly loud family. Stupid fists of love. Zoro just wanted to have a <em>little</em> peace and quiet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“G-Grandpa!”</p>
<p>Which had the predictable reactions. Zoro rolled his eyes and wandered over the refrigerator, grabbing a cold drink as Nami sputtered out “Garp?! That’s the name of the marine hero!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yes, and the name of the person with arguably the most questionable parenting record there. <em>Why</em> Roger had thought that giving Garp a baby was a good idea, why <em>anyone</em> thought giving Garp a baby was a good idea was simply beyond him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I trained you to be a strong marine!”</p>
<p>“I told you over and over that I was going to be a pirate!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Good grief. Zoro must not have been present for this argument the first time, but it did make him roll his eyes. Garp really thought <em>Luffy</em> was going to be a marine? The same Luffy whose idol had been Shanks since like, birth?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You got corrupted by that Red Hair!”</p>
<p>“Shanks saved my life! Don’t badmouth him!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’re we supposed to do?!” asked the cook, cigarette having fallen out of his mouth.</p>
<p>Zoro shrugged. “Let them have their family reunion?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook’s eyes narrowed. “And I suppose this isn’t surprising—ah, he’s got him!”</p>
<p>And so, this was where they all first heard of the four emperors. The rulers of the second half of the Grand Line, Whitebeard’s name towering perhaps above the rest. Luffy didn’t even blink, just apparently happy to know that Shanks was doing well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy and Red Hair know each other?” asked Robin, some surprise in her voice. Zoro nodded, taking the cap of a bottle of sake.</p>
<p>“Luffy knows lots of people.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright men!” Garp pointed at the crowd of marines outside. It had been a quick skirmish against Coby and his blond friend, but Luffy seemed happy anyway. “Now fix this wall!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s so selfish! Why’d you have to break it?!”</p>
<p>“Eh? It’s cooler to enter that way, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I guess they really are similar,” said Nami in a pained voice. “A Vice Admiral is his <em>grandfather</em>.” She eyes Zoro, who had returned to his drink. “But I guess you’re not surprised.”</p>
<p>“<em>Why</em> do you keep—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t break things for reasons like that! You have to help us fix it!”</p>
<p>“<em>Ehhhh?!”</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>It was funnier in retrospect, watching Garp hammer nails into the wall. Even funnier knowing what was to come. Should he spoil it? No, Robin and the cook and Nami were all watching him so damn closely already. Although Zoro <em>was</em> enjoying himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come to think of it, Luffy, I heard you ran into your old man.”</p>
<p>“What? My dad? I have a dad?”</p>
<p>This dumbass. “Yes, you have a dad,” said Zoro, thumping Luffy’s head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, he didn’t say anything to you?” Garp picked his nose. “I heard he saw you off at Loguetown.”</p>
<p>“Loguetown?” The cook repeated back, glancing over at Zoro who was very purposefully not going to make eye contact.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, what the fuck. “Is his dad <em>Smoker</em>?!” said Zoro suddenly, putting all of his power into keeping his face as stoic as possible at not laughing at the expressions on Nami and the cook’s faces.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Smoker?!” shrieked Nami, clamping her hand to her mouth.</p>
<p>“Is that why he’s been following us so obsessively?!” shouted the cook, pointing a wild finger.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Captain Smoker?” Robin let out a long hum. Garp was staring at them all, gaping. “That’s very interesting. He must have been a very young parent.”</p>
<p>“Smoke-guy’s my dad?! Then why’d he try to kill me?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The whispers of the marines were already starting to get louder. “Captain Smoker is the father of Straw Hat Luffy?!” Zoro bit his lip to keep from wheezing. “I never knew Smoker-san had a son!”</p>
<p>“It would explain why he let us get away after Alabasta…” mused the cook more quietly. “And he was chasing Ace with so much ferocity as well…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He shouldn’t add to the chaos. He shouldn’t add to the chaos. “You know, Buggy saw us off at Loguetown too…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“BUGGY’S ALSO MY DAD?!”</p>
<p>“Smoker knows Buggy the Clown?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The whispers of the marines got even louder. No matter what was said next, there were going to be some very interesting rumors spread around the bars where marines tended to congregate.</p>
<p>Zoro saw Usopp crouched behind a window, the expression on his face catastrophically funny.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t believe that for a second,” said Nami, flabbergasted. “Buggy tried to execute you! But then, so did Smoker…”</p>
<p>Garp’s head was swinging back and forth, moving from person to person. “That’s not—what?! No, your dad’s name is Monkey D. Dragon! He’s a Revolutionary!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh?! How can I have three dads?!” came out of Luffy’s mouth at the same time as “DRAGON THE REVOLUTIONARY?!” from the watching marines, and everything was complete pandemonium.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The revolutionary Dragon has a son?!”</p>
<p>“But how does Captain Smoker fit into all of this?!”</p>
<p>“I’ve never heard Dragon’s full name before!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was almost wheezing with laughter, and he ducked out of the way. See, he needed to be doing more of <em>this</em>. Less moping about things he couldn’t control.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Luffy didn’t even know who Dragon was. It was honestly probably a let-down for him, instead of his father being someone obsessively hunting them down, it was just the world’s most wanted criminal.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Now I’m really confused,” moaned Chopper. “Luffy’s dad is a dragon clown that smokes?”</p>
<p>Zoro took another swig of sake to hide the smile forming on his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp and Luffy burst through the door, tears streaming down both their faces, and Chopper gasped loudly at the reappearance. “Usopp’s coming back!” declared Luffy, laughing as he cried, and everyone in the small room cheered, the relief palpable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro leaned back in his chair. The ship was almost done, the shipwrights working on it day and night, and it should be ready by morning. They were all waiting, as Kokoro scared them with stories of the Florian Triangle.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Walking, talking skeletons?!” Luffy had exclaimed, stars in his eyes.</p>
<p>He was a pretty good guesser, and Nami and Chopper had shrieked at the thought. But when Robin, with a coy smile, had mentioned <em>treasure</em>…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Usopp!” cried out Chopper, hugging him tightly. “I need to look at your wounds!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp didn’t fight but did make eye contact across the room to Zoro, giving him a slow, solemn nod. A promise.</p>
<p>Liquor tasted better when everyone was close by, Zoro thought, some warmth settling into his chest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook approached him, a cigarette between his teeth. “Thought you’d have something to say about that.”</p>
<p>“I might’ve,” acknowledged Zoro. “But I also respect when people admit they made a mistake.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He apologized?” Zoro nodded and the cook looked slightly impressed. “Thought he’d be figuring out ways to get Luffy to ask him back.”</p>
<p>“I guess he got some perspective.”</p>
<p>The cook’s eye narrowed, and he blew out smoke. “Don’t think you’re getting out of this easy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro hummed. “Getting out of what?”</p>
<p>“Knowing stuff. Meddling.”</p>
<p>“Good luck,” said Zoro, and the cook grunted loudly, annoyance flashing on his face. “With whatever you’re looking for.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You know what I’m—”</p>
<p>“SANJI! MEAT!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook scowled at him, flipping him off as he walked away, and Zoro couldn’t bring himself to worry much about it. Not when Usopp had come back on his own, this time with honor and without pride. It felt good.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mugiwara!” The voice of Zambai echoed powerfully, frantically as the footsteps approach them. “Mugiwara! We have bad news!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn't miss the looks thrown his way. He kept his face neutral, although he did in fact remember what was coming. A crew recognized for the havoc they had wrecked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’re you guys running for? You’re all out of breath!”</p>
<p>They all walked out of the house, the sunlight warm and strong. “Did you see the wanted posters? All of you are wanted now!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook grinned widely. “It’s about time!”</p>
<p>“Me too?!” echoed Nami and Chopper.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, I’ll just show you,” said Zambai. “All seven of you!” He put the papers on the ground. “Strawhat Luffy with a bounty of 300,000,000 belli! Pirate Hunter Zoro with 120,000,000!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grinned, despite the low number. It was better than <em>sixty</em>. And seeing the joy on Luffy’s face knowing how much it would go up in the future was a pretty good feeling.</p>
<p>“Cat Burglar Nami!” The photo was ridiculous, Nami posed provocatively for the camera. “16 million! Cotton Candy Lover Chopper, pet! 50 belli!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A point for marine intelligence. Somehow smart enough to figure out Chopper’s favorite food without realizing he was also a combatant and doctor, and <em>still</em> in the New World. Zoro pet him on the head in an attempt to be comforting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin and Sogeking next, and then—</p>
<p>Zoro couldn’t help it. He let out a wild howl of laughter that turned into choking as Sanji stared at the badly drawn photo with horror. “Who is <em>this</em>?!”</p>
<p>This was the best day ever.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And we sympathize with you!” said Zambai, flustered by their reactions. Zoro’s manic laughter probably wasn’t helping. “But—look!” He pulled out Franky’s wanted poster. “If he stays in Water 7, he’ll be in danger! He’ll try to stay on the island because he worries about us. Please, Straw Hat, take him out to sea with you!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Please!” The rest of them echoed, bowing their heads.</p>
<p>Luffy chuckled, already grinning. “You didn’t have to ask me that!” he said. “I decided a long time ago he’s the only person I’d accept as our shipwright.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Really?!” Zamabi looked wildly between them all. “You’re okay with it?!”</p>
<p>The cook, Nami, and Chopper weren’t listening at all and Robin laughed lightly. “Of course.” Zoro grinned and nodded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They prepared the rest of their belongings, ready to go off and see the ship, and Zoro was trying not to look too excited. The first time back on Sunny in… well, it had been a while. “Come on guys!” said Luffy. “How long are you going to act depressed for?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shut up!” yelled the cook. “Why is mine the only one that’s a drawing?!”</p>
<p>“That’s a great starting bounty!” exclaimed Luffy.</p>
<p>“How could they think this is me?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think it looks just like you,” said Zoro, still laughing, and the cook rounded on him, mumbling nonsense. “Oi, speak full sentences.”</p>
<p>The drawing that would keep him safe for at least a couple more years, making it harder for his family to track him. Zoro sobered a little, at the thought, but that was a damn funny drawing. Might as well get some mileage from it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro couldn’t keep the smile off of his face as they approached the covered ship. Even if everyone else wasn’t lighting up with excitement, it would be good to be closer to home.</p>
<p>It was huge, beautiful and glorious, catching the sunlight perfectly as it towers above them. The ship that would carry them around the world, its golden lion smiling down at them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Amazing!” cried out Luffy. “It’s huge!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s smile broadened. The lawn grass was fresh and sprawling as Luffy rolled around and the cook frantically looked for the kitchen. He was home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He didn’t bother too much as Luffy asked where Franky was and Iceberg asked in return if they wanted to ask him to join as a shipwright. Not with the sun-warmed deck below him and the smell of the sea around him. The view was perfect.</p>
<p>“He doesn’t want to?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The opposite,” said Iceberg. “He doesn’t think he can refuse if you’re met face to face. So he hid. But his honest wish is to sail with you. Franky has come to like and respect you all so much, the fact that he’s entrusting his dream ship with you… but he has this stupid persistence to stay here. If you really intend to take him with you, you may have to use force.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And oh, Zoro really didn’t think he would have to relive <em>this</em> again, and he groaned out loud.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What is it?” asked Nami, but Zoro shook his head. “<em>Zoro—</em>”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Isn’t this a great ship?” he said mildly, patting the grass. “I think it’s a great ship. And that there won’t be any problems getting Franky to come with us.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s <em>that</em> supposed to mean?!”</p>
<p>“No problems at all.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That doesn’t make me feel any better!” yelled Nami, staring at Zoro until an explosion rocked ahead of them further on the island. “What the hell is going on?!”</p>
<p>“What kind of problems?” asked the cook warily, coming out from his kitchen as it started to get louder, but there was no <em>way</em> Zoro was going to get them out of it. No way in hell, not if he had to deal with it twice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But then Luffy lit up, a demonic smile on his face, and he jumped off the ship running towards the shore laughing wildly. “I get it Ice-pops!” he yelled, disappearing.</p>
<p>“What does he get?” asked Usopp, staring nervously at the increasingly louder explosions. “What does this have to do with—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come on guys!”</p>
<p>“Come on for <em>what</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Speedo retrieval,” said Zoro, his eyes glinting a little, and the expressions on their faces were worth it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi,” said the cook as they chased after Luffy, preparing to tag team a pair of underwear back to their new ship. “We really want this pervert—oh shit, they’re coming!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>You’re</em> calling someone a pervert?!”</p>
<p>“Shut up! Let’s load him into the cannon!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This cannot be happening,” muttered Nami, closing her eyes.</p>
<p>“Franky! If you want these pants back, you’ll have to become our nakama!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“They’re not even really pants,” commented Zoro, dusting off his shirt. He jumped back on board, the cook and Usopp behind him. “You might have to try harder than that, Captain.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then I’ll be without pants proudly!” yelled Franky. He struck a pose against the waves, leading to an increase in yells from the townspeople surrounding them who were decidedly unprepared for this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy gasped. “I took him lightly! He’s such a man!”</p>
<p>“He’s just a pervert!” yelled Nami, hitting him over the head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin stared at the scene with an expression that was difficult to read, and Zoro sighed in the interest of incoming pain. Poor, unfortunate Franky. Didn’t know what was coming. “If I might get a little rough…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The others stared at her. “Well, he did say we’d have to use force…” said Luffy thoughtfully.</p>
<p>“But what are you going to do?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin smiled, and it was the smile that should make people run away. “Robin-chwan?” asked the cook out loud, and Zoro belatedly wondered if he would be jealous—nah, probably not. Probably.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Dos fleur! Clutch!”</p>
<p>The reaction was instantaneous and loud, everyone shrieking but no one as loud as Franky, the self-congratulatory smile on Robin’s face really just the icing on the cake. Zoro shook his head. Completely ridiculous.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait a minute, Robin!”</p>
<p>“They have been grabbed! They have been grabbed!”</p>
<p>“They’ll be smashed, Robin!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro winced a little in sympathy but took a step back. If Garp was going to come after them, they needed to be prepared, after all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin-chwan is so resourceful!”</p>
<p>“Stop looking like you want her to do it to <em>you</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro snorted at the incoming argument between the cook and Usopp as Franky continued to shriek.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, Robin!” yelled Luffy. “I want him to still be a man when he joins the crew! Don’t take them!”</p>
<p>“It hurts just looking!” Chopper whined, throwing himself against the balcony.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Zoro knew, of course, that the reasons were never that simple. Even as Robin refused to let go and Franky tearfully explained his plight. It was always hard, leaving people behind, although Zoro hadn’t really experienced that himself. Not quite the same way.</p>
<p>But Franky would agree to join them. And then he would put his damn underwear back on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cannonballs were headed their way as Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp danced around on their new ship, resolutely agreeing with Franky who was telling them there was nothing to worry about. That might have been true, but they still needed to <em>move</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’re they thinking, at a busy time like this?!” muttered the cook, kicking one away.</p>
<p>“Franky,” said Zoro. “I furled the sails.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky nodded and stared up at the flag. “We need to name the ship,” he said.</p>
<p>“Name? At a time like this?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We don’t want to sail on an unnamed ship,” said Zoro absently, before Franky could answer, and the cyborg gave him a strange expression.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s right!”</p>
<p>“What the hell,” said the cook blankly, kicking away another ball and looking between Franky and Zoro. “Then, something-or-other-lion?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“YOSH!” said Luffy. “I have a name that sounds strong! Bear Polar Bear Lion!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No one would name a ship something weird like that!”</p>
<p>“Then, Tiger! Wolf! Lion!”</p>
<p>“Stop listing animal names like that! It sounds like a curse!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy continued to grin. “Squid Octopus Chimpanzee!”</p>
<p>Zoro rolled his eyes and diverted another attack. They would get to the name without him having to interfere, and sure enough—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Whoa!” said Luffy. “That’s better than Dumpling Gorilla Squid!”</p>
<p>“Better than my ‘Being of Darkness’ name.”</p>
<p>“Hmmm, and my Monsieur Sunflower.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A ship that can travel a thousand seas sounds perfect,” said Robin. “So does the sunny part.” She glanced over at Zoro, who was trying to hide his smile. “How does that sound, swordsman-san?”</p>
<p>“I liked ‘Being of Darkness’,” said Zoro, as Franky started yelling about ‘Lion Gang Champion’ which really, Luffy might have actually gone for if he didn’t say Iceberg’s name first. “But Sunny sounds good to me, too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Take a final look at this city!” said Franky, coaxed out of moping. “We’ll be out of here soon!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy slowly nodded and jumped up, taking in a deep breath. “Grandpa! Coby! It was nice seeing you after such a long time!”</p>
<p>“You really want to tempt Garp?” asked the cook, a swirly eyebrow raised.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re so cheeky! You’re nothing but my kid’s kid!”</p>
<p>“Oh yeah! I’ll say hi to Smoker when we see him!”</p>
<p>“THAT’S NOT IT!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro bit his lip again and instead took in a final look at the city of water. It was glittering, the people on the coast watching as they sailed away. Maybe this really would be for the last time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Except—“WHERE DID A CANNONBALL LIKE THAT EVEN COME FROM?!” shouted Usopp, staring at the monstrosity on Garp’s ship. “What kind of cannon could even shoot something like that?!”</p>
<p>“I think he’s going to throw it,” said Zoro calmly, watching everyone start to panic.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp was running in circles. “AH! THERE’S NO WAY WE’LL SURVIVE THAT!”</p>
<p>“WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOUR FAMILY?!” yelled the cook.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro just leaned back as the towering cannonball loomed over them, and he heard Franky yell for the first time in really <em>forever</em>, “COUP DE BURST!”</p>
<p>It was exhilarating, propelling into the bright blue sky, nothing but clouds ahead of them. Zoro closed his eyes and felt the wind catch his face.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“To Robin and Usopp who came back to us!” They all had drinks now, food already on the table, everyone grinning broadly as Luffy raised his glass. “To our new nakama Franky, and to our new pirate ship, the Thousand Sunny!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Kampai!”</p>
<p>Zoro took a drink, everyone laughing and finally happy, and decided that this would be okay. He could call this home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>MARCO</strong>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Marco was having a bad day. Shanks was trying to get into contact with them, and being around Shanks always managed to raise Marco’s blood pressure, and Ace wasn’t even <em>here</em> to—</p>
<p>Well, that was part of it, wasn’t it? Ace was still chasing down Teach. Not that Marco blamed him; the memory of Thatch with a literal knife in the back replayed in his nightmares enough. But Teach had slunk around their ship, masquerading as family for <em>years</em>. That kind of patience, that kind of dedication to some end…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Shanks wasn’t going to make anything easier. In fact, Marco would wager that Shanks would intentionally be difficult just <em>because</em>, while also throwing in more alcohol than anyone ever needed. Marco loved his Devil’s Fruit, it had been a part of his life longer than even Pops had, but one Shanks-sized downside was not being able to get plastered.</p>
<p>It didn’t help that having Shanks around inevitably made people pass out. Pops might laugh, but it was <em>Marco</em> who had to deal with it, and didn’t they have any damn appreciation for how much stress they were causing everybody else?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thatch would probably tell him he needed to be sleeping more. And eating more. But Thatch was gone, and Marco was somehow managing three divisions fucking <em>fuck.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Marco! There’s a message for you!”</p>
<p>Now? There was a message for him right-fucking-now?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was said so urgently that it actually managed to interrupt the staring contest Red Hair and Pops were currently engaging in—Marco didn’t know what about, he’d heard the word <em>Teach</em> and immediately found himself busy somewhere else. “What?!”</p>
<p>“Well,” It was Haruta, lips sort of twitching like they did when he was about to either tell a joke or deliver bad news. “I think it’s for you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You think it’s for me?”</p>
<p>“It’s addressed to ‘Blue pineapple bird yoi guy’.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marco froze in his position, eye starting to twitch. He could hear the concealed laughter, and ah dammit now Shanks was paying attention to <em>him</em> now. “Blue pineapple?!”</p>
<p>“Gurararara! That’s funny!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wasn’t this supposed to be a serious meeting of two very powerful Yonko? No one had any fucking respect for decorum. Against all his wishes, Marco held out his hand for the stupid letter.</p>
<p>“Does that mean we can call you blue pineapple bird yoi guy?” Jozu asked, and Marco counted very slowly to five before opening the envelope and reading it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anyone watching his face gradually stopped smiling as Marco’s face shifted, first wondering if it was some kind of joke then hoping it was. “Where’s Banaro Island?” He asked finally.</p>
<p>Funnily enough, it was Shanks who responded, moving towards him. “Banaro Island?” he asked, voice suddenly serious and far removed from the lightheartedness of before. “That’s where Blackbeard was last seen.”</p>
<p>Ah, shit. It was totally strange, completely out of left field, and the letter didn’t make any <em>sense</em>, but for some reason Marco felt nervous. “It’s from someone on Straw Hat’s crew,” he said, and they’d all seen the latest bounty posters and frankly ridiculous report of the assault on Enies Lobby. As if anyone was crazy enough to declare war on the government <em>there</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He would need to find a way to confirm it. Needed to get in contact with whatever person on Straw Hat’s crew just signed their name ‘sword’, probably the Pirate Hunter if he remembered, and ask him if he was crazy (hopefully, yes) or if he was serious.</p>
<p>“I think there might be some trouble ahead.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Final exams are over! Thank goodness. Also, debating going back and changing the chapter names to make it easier to re-read and find things.....hmmm....</p>
<p>Up next: Remember that Alabasta notebook that Zoro hid and was sure no one would stumble across? Uh huh. </p>
<p>Hope you enjoyed! I definitely laughed more than I should have while writing it (rip smoker honestly)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nami was nodding along, although still uneasy. Usopp and Chopper glanced at each other and then at the notebook. “I mean, I definitely want to know what’s in it,” said Usopp. “Just to be totally clear. I’m just wondering if we should.”</p>
<p>“It’s not the one he’s writing in now, right?” said Sanji, and Nami nodded her head. “So, this one probably has just old stuff in it anyway. Otherwise he wouldn’t need a new one.”</p>
<p>It was all a mixed bag of justifications but eventually they all circled the small table, Robin keeping one eye out by the door, and Nami slowly opened the notebook to where they all could see.</p>
<p>"Who's Sabo?"</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>SANJI - Florian Triangle <br/></strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was a warm, perfect day, and Sanji was ready to figure out what the shitty swordsman wasn’t telling them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Thousand Sunny was truly a marvel of a ship, with an enormous, perfect kitchen that Sanji had been spending most of his time in. Franky really had gone all out. But after making a few meals and trying every appliance out at least twice, something nagged louder than the pull of the kitchen, and it was what brought him into the library with everyone else, save for Luffy and Zoro who were training up in the crow’s nest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So,” said Usopp, who’d somehow managed to procure a large blackboard. “Does anyone have any theories?”</p>
<p>“Theories on what?” asked Chopper, perched next to him looking confused. The beautiful Nami-san sighed and shook her head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro’s guesses,” said Nami, dry emphasis on the second word. “We all know something’s going on, it makes sense for us all to just talk about it.”</p>
<p>“Has anyone tried… asking him?” asked their newest crewmember, sitting a little further off to the side. Sanji was a little surprised Franky had come, but when Usopp had mentioned ‘Zoro knowing more than he lets on’ the cyborg was quick to join them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes,” said Sanji, lighting a cigarette. “Avoided answering.”</p>
<p>“Same with me,” said Nami.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And me,” Their trump card, really, was that the lovely Robin-chan had decided to grace them with her presence (and knowledge). Sanji thought she might’ve considered it a little too silly and sleuthing, but then again, she <em>was</em> a former intelligence professional.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where do we start?” asked Sanji. “We all know the shithead’s been acting weird.”</p>
<p>Robin hummed thoughtfully. “How about the first time everyone noticed that he was acting unusually? Or the first time he appeared to know something before it occurred?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first time… They were all quiet, and Sanji thought about it. He hadn’t really noticed anything until they’d fought together during the Davy Back fight and Zoro had seemed… different. And then the marine admiral came, and it was like a switch was flipped. He moved out of the way of attacks that hadn’t happened yet and his sword turned black. Had he really been holding back this whole time? The thought made Sanji’s blood boil.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The earliest I can think of,” said Nami finally. “Is when we were in that cage with Smoker back in Alabasta.”</p>
<p>“Alabasta?!” Usopp and Chopper choked out at the same time. “Has it really been that long?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He knew what seastone was,” said Nami. “And seemed confused when I didn’t, even though we’d never encountered it before. And he was so sure you were coming, Sanji-kun, even before you called.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Me?”</p>
<p>Nami nodded. “That was the first time I remember noticing, anyway.”</p>
<p>Sanji considered that. Alabasta? Had it really been going on since then? Nothing about Alabasta stuck out as being as strange as everything else, and he really hadn’t been around the marimo on Skypiea…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He knew I was present on Merry before I’d revealed myself,” said Robin. “And to be honest, I expected the most resistance on joining from him. But instead, swordsman-san seemed… relieved.”</p>
<p>“You’re right, he wasn’t surprised at all,” noted Usopp. “I thought he’d be way more opposed. No offense.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin tilted her head. “None taken. Then, of course, predicting that the old ship would fall from the sky.”</p>
<p>Oh. Sanji had completely forgotten about that. “What was it he said?” he murmured. “I think a ship’s going to fall on us.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At the time, he’d forgotten about it in the wake of avoiding the ship itself (which, now Sanji remembered, Zoro had sliced in half) and then going underwater. But in retrospect it was glaringly obvious.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You had a ship fall on you?” said Franky, looking both amused and not at all surprised.</p>
<p>“We’ve had a lot of weird things happen,” said Chopper solemnly, nodding his head with wide eyes. Franky chuckled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“In addition to that,” continued Robin. “He understood the traditional ‘heso’ greeting of Skypiea. He knew that we would be taken to the Upper Yard before it occurred, and he mentioned very casually that the Upper Yard was originally part of Jaya before we’d seen any evidence to support this.”</p>
<p>They were all quiet for a minute, mulling this over. “I was thinking the same things,” said Nami. “I tried to talk to him the night we had the bonfire with the wolves, but he wouldn’t say anything.”</p>
<p>“I believe he was avoiding me,” said Robin, and Sanji wanted to hit Zoro over the head for avoiding the beautiful ladies and making them <em>worry</em> but he just refilled their drinks instead. “And then, of course, there was everything with Aokiji.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The elephant in the room. But Robin’s voice was calm as she spoke, no hint of fear. “Even before that,” muttered Usopp. “He kept mentioning how we could just skip that island. Before the fight with Foxy.”</p>
<p>Jeez, Sanji hadn’t even noticed that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He told me we would not win that fight,” said Robin, her voice still remarkably even. “I didn’t listen, but of course he was correct.”</p>
<p>“He didn’t get hit by the ice at all,” said Sanji. “It was like mantra on Skypiea. And he wasn’t worried about Luffy either.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Maybe he has mantra,” said Nami after a minute. “Like the priests did on Skypiea. And he can predict attacks before they happen.”</p>
<p>Sanji wouldn’t be <em>happy</em> about it, but at this point it did seem kind of likely. “He knew way too much about Aokiji for it to be a coincidence,” he said, blowing out smoke.</p>
<p>The way he’d avoided the attack, the way he’d allowed Luffy to fight but then run back afterwards, the strange sense of calm he’d had throughout it all like he could tell himself that everything would be okay in the end.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then, Water 7, which had been gigantic on any proportion, regardless of their resident swordsman acting like a fortune teller.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He knew where you were, Usopp,” said Sanji finally, when it seemed no one else had anything to add. When Usopp frowned, he elaborated. “When we got back to Merry and you were at the Franky House.”</p>
<p>Franky had the decency to look abashed. “We <em>did</em> leave a note—”</p>
<p>“He didn’t read it,” said Sanji. “Just froze and started running. Didn’t even get lost either.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami let out a noise of disbelief, and Sanji himself probably wouldn’t have believed it either, except…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>(“Why are you following me?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
  <em>“Because our shitty captain asked me too. What the hell do you think you’re doing just running off when we’re dealing with something like this?!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
  <em>“Usopp. He’s gone, isn’t he? The stupid Franky Family must’ve gotten him.”)</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He sighed. That, combined with his retort about ‘looking after Robin this time’ only to have her disappear anyway… Well, the mosshead would never know, but the guilt still ate at him when he let his guard down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He acted like we’d met before,” said Franky, and Sanji remembered that too. The way he’d spoken had been specific. Familiar. “Iceberg asked me if we’d met, too.”</p>
<p>Nami was nodding along. “He said the same thing when we were by Dock 1,” she said. “Iceberg asked Zoro if you’d met before.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They absorbed this. Chopper’s eyes were still moving from face to face, as if he didn’t really believe it, and now Sanji was wondering what else he’d missed. He didn’t like thinking of Zoro as some deep, difficult to understand opponent—that was part of the fun, wasn’t it? He didn’t think he just acted, relying on strength and brute swordsmanship to solve all his problems. He wasn’t supposed to be complicated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh,” said Usopp suddenly. “Before any of that. He said something about the sea train before we heard or saw it coming.”</p>
<p>“I forgot about that!” said Chopper, eyes wide. “We almost got hit!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The shitty sea train, too. Sanji remembered the walk back from the Franky House after watching Zoro destroy it a few seconds, smiling like a madman. It had felt suffocating between them, after Sanji asked where Robin was and Zoro gave one of those useless shrugs. He’d wanted to scream, frustration with everything happening that day boiling over.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Listen to me, you overgrown moss head. If you don’t explain what the fuck is going on, so help me, I will pull it out of you.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
  <em>“I’d like to see you try.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“I think he knew you were going to fight Luffy, too,” said Sanji, glancing over at Usopp. “I don’t know how… well, I guess that’s what we’re trying to figure out.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I have a suggestion,” said Robin, who’d been carefully taking notes, and Sanji swooned a little. What would they do without her? “Although, I wanted some input first.”</p>
<p>She held up a familiar notebook, dark blue velvet with a singular sweaty handprint on the cover. “I believe swordsman-san and I have a habit in common.”</p>
<p>Sanji was vaguely aware of his cigarette falling out of his mouth. Zoro kept a <em>diary</em>?! But Nami was frowning as she stared at it. “That’s not the notebook I gave him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No,” agreed Robin. “He wrote in this one until we descended from Skypiea. Starting at least in Alabasta.”</p>
<p>Since Alabasta… they all looked at it warily, still closed. “Why does he have <em>two </em>then?!” asked Nami, sounding frustrated, glaring at the notebook as if it were at fault.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, should we be poking through his stuff?” Usopp sounded nervous. “I mean <em>I’m</em> a totally open book, definitely don’t have anything to hide in my belongings—”</p>
<p>A strange feeling settled in Sanji’s stomach, too. They shouldn’t go through his stuff. As much as the two of them didn’t get along, it was definitely an invasion of privacy, and lord knew Sanji had things he’d rather no one else know about…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Except…</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>(“Go away, Sogeking,”</em> Zoro had said to Usopp’s masked persona, well-before he’d been introduced. He’d barely opened his eyes.</p>
<p><em>“How did you avoid every attack?!”</em> Sanji had demanded, after being caught in Nami’s painful (but beautiful!) lightning attack. Zoro had emerged completely unsinged, more annoyed than anything else.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Have some faith.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Aren’t you the one who doesn’t believe in god?”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“Not in god,”</em> Zoro had said, again just sounding older and calmer and like none of this was scaring him. Like there was nothing to be afraid of. <em>“In our nakama.”)</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“He does know more than he lets on,” said Sanji. “But he won’t say why.”</p>
<p>“What if he knew Aokiji was coming? And CP9 and Spandam?” Nami glanced over at Robin and Franky. “Why didn’t he say anything about it? We all could’ve died.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were all quiet. Sanji knew Luffy wasn’t interested in whatever was going on (“Zoro’s just Zoro!” he’d answered rather infuriatingly when he and Nami had brought it up), and also that Luffy wasn’t interested in people’s pasts (but then, Sanji didn’t think Zoro was either).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, I’m curious,” said Franky, crossing his arms. “I’d like to know how he knew me before we ever met. But I don’t think I should decide, either.”</p>
<p>“I’m curious as well,” admitted Robin. “If only to potentially avoid more surprises. Although invading someone’s privacy is something I wouldn’t ordinarily stand for…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji winced. Robin’s life had been fully laid out on display, the pain visible and drawn out, the kind of privacy that was difficult to get back. And there was the chance Zoro could know even <em>more</em> about her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was nodding along, although still uneasy. Usopp and Chopper glanced at each other and then at the notebook. “I mean, I definitely want to know what’s in it,” said Usopp. “Just to be totally clear. I’m just wondering if we <em>should</em>.”</p>
<p>“It’s not the one he’s writing in now, right?” said Sanji, and Nami nodded her head. “So, this one probably has just old stuff in it anyway. Otherwise he wouldn’t need a new one.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was all a mixed bag of justifications but eventually they all circled the small table, Robin keeping one eye out by the door, and Nami slowly opened the notebook to where they all could see.</p>
<p>“I don’t like this,” mumbled Chopper, but he leaned over the page anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Who’s Sabo?” asked Usopp, and none of them knew, but it became very apparent that it was only the beginning of a long list of things that didn’t make any sense to Sanji nor, it seemed, to anyone else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>SABO</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>A – dead?</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Busoshoku</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Kenbunshoku</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong><span class="u">ROBIN</span> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“Well, we know who you are,” said Nami lightly, as Robin stared down at the page. It was larger than the other words and underlined several times. Beside it was—</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>WILL JOIN CREW </strong>and <strong>VIVI STAYING</strong></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>He’d known Vivi-chan wasn’t going to sail with them? And that Robin was going to ask Luffy to join the crew? Sanji’s head was spinning as Nami slowly flipped the page.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Hyena, Cherry pie, Laughter </strong>then <strong>Dumbass bird, Liar, North Blue</strong>, and Sanji guessed that had to refer to Jaya, which wouldn’t be strange unless he wrote it <em>before</em> Jaya, which was starting to seem more likely.</p>
<p>“There was a guy eating cherry pie,” muttered Nami. “And that guy Bellamy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then a list of words which probably referred to Skypiea (including dumbass bird again, which made Sanji’s nose twitch), and then some about Water 7 and even more about things that Sanji had never heard of, and then Nami’s lovely fingers lipped the page again and they all froze.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This page had their names on it. Other words too, but they were each tied to their names. Including Franky’s, even though Zoro apparently hadn’t written in this notebook since Skypiea.</p>
<p>And normally Sanji might fixate on that. Might notice the two additional names—Brook and Jimbe, written with just as much confidence as the others. Those things should’ve caught his attention, but they didn’t, because right beside Sanji’s name was <strong>Vinsmoke</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Holy shit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He felt himself slipping into a bit of a trance. After all, when was the last time he’d seen Vinsmoke Sanji written out? And then, as if it wasn’t fucking enough, the word <strong>Germa </strong>was there too, and sure it was next to <strong>pudding </strong>and <strong>wedding</strong> which was also a little concerning, but nothing like the first two.</p>
<p>Because Zoro couldn’t know that. Zoro <em>shouldn’t</em> know that because no one knew that. He’d abandoned the name over ten years ago, hadn’t looked back once, and yet, here it was. Vinsmoke.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“S-Sanji?” Chopper was looking at him worriedly, and Sanji realized he probably looked like he was having a stroke. Maybe he was having a stroke. How did the shithead <em>know</em>?</p>
<p>“Germa…” said Robin thoughtfully, and Sanji loved her, he really did, but he didn’t think he was physically capable of hearing about Germa. “Aren’t you from North Blue?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t…” Sanji’s voice sounded warped even to his own ears. They were all looking at him now, but all Sanji could think was how the <em>fuck</em> Zoro <em>knew</em>. Zeff didn’t even know. No one knew, which was very much fucking intentional.</p>
<p>Here he was and he hadn’t thought about his family in years, and now it felt like his skin was on fire. How did he know?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s not something I really like to talk about,” he said, finally, and that definitely didn’t make any of them less curious but Sanji really thought if he had to say anything about it, he’d pass out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin didn’t press but instead narrowed her eyes as she looked further down the page. “Jimbe?” she asked aloud, quietly. “The Shichibukai?”</p>
<p>“So, he definitely knew about me before you guys came to Water 7,” said Franky, crossing his arms and eyeing his name. Underneath it there was <strong>cola, Vegapunk, Sunny, </strong>and <strong>speedo</strong>. Sanji might’ve found it funny if he wasn’t having an internal crisis.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro knew about his family. <em>Zoro</em> knew about his family.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(There was plenty else Zoro apparently knew that was even stranger, like apparently what was happening in the fucking future, but Sanji was still hung up on Vinsmoke Vinsmoke <em>Vinsmoke</em> to care very much.)</p>
<p>“Can I flip the page?” asked Usopp, looking sideways at Sanji. Sanji didn’t bother answering, wondering if his hands were noticeably twitching or not.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Sanji didn’t really think anything would shake him out of his stupor, but the next page made even him sharply inhale, mostly because it wasn’t a collection of words anymore but a drawing.</p>
<p>It wasn’t what Sanji would call a good drawing but somehow the roughness made it eerier; a giant of a man with reflective eyes and dark curly hair holding a bible, the angle strange and menacing. Like it was drawn looking upwards at someone who was just too tall to exist.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A paw print was drawn beside him, edges dark and rough. Something about it made Sanji uneasy. And the label. <strong>KUMA</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Bartholomew Kuma is another one of the Shichibukai,” said Robin. “Along with Crocodile, Doflamingo, Mihawk, Jimbe, and Moria, that’s six of the seven written down somewhere. The only exclusion appears to be Boa Hancock.”</p>
<p>“Zoro definitely knows Mihawk,” muttered Usopp. “And we met Crocodile… does that mean we’re going to run into <em>all</em> of them?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is Zoro some kind of prophet?” asked Chopper in an awed voice. Sanji wouldn’t have even considered it beforehand, but now it was almost looking like the only explanation.</p>
<p>Nami let out a small groan. “It sounds ridiculous,” she said. “But…” She shrugged, her face twisted into something almost painful.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If any pirate crew managed to piss off <em>all</em> the Shichibukai, it’d be you guys,” said Franky, taking a swig of cola and laughing.</p>
<p>“Don’t say that!” said Usopp. “Crocodile was bad enough!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji’s hands were itching, looking at the drawing. It looked… well, whoever this Kuma guy was, he definitely didn’t seem friendly.</p>
<p>“And he never displayed any seer-like abilities before Alabasta?” asked Robin, taking notes of her own now.</p>
<p>Nami groaned again. “I don’t think so? Out of all of us, <em>he’s</em> the one who gets to have an idea of what comes next?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Maybe that’s why he gets so lost,” said Usopp, holding back a laugh. “He’s too busy paying attention to the future to pay attention in the present.”</p>
<p>“I hate that I’m actually agreeing with you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their thoughts and staring at the drawing were interrupted by a massive explosion outside and a distinctly Luffy-like shriek that had them all running out, Robin tucking the notebook away carefully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sky was red, Luffy was thrown backwards and slightly singed, and Zoro was gazing unsurprised at a barrel on their deck that seemed to be responsible for it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the hell?!” screeched Nami, staring up at the red sky, and for a brief second Sanji could forget about the stupid notebook because what the <em>fuck</em>.</p>
<p>“The barrel said treasure!” groaned Luffy, sitting up. “I don’t know why it <em>exploded</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It looks like it was a flare,” said Robin. “I would hope as a simple prank, but it could mean someone is coming after our ship.”</p>
<p>“So, the barrel was a trap?!” Usopp shouted, and they were probably (definitely) on edge from everything in the library, running around and looking for ships.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why would you <em>open</em> that?” said Sanji through gritted teeth. “And why would you let him?!”</p>
<p>He very carefully did not look at the mosshead while speaking to him. Because he was afraid if he did, he might run over and strangle him, demand answers, and that didn’t seem like a good idea. Also, Robin-chan and Nami-san were counting on him to play it cool.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro shrugged. “Thought it might have good booze in it.”</p>
<p>Luffy would be mad if you murdered his swordsman. Luffy would be mad if you murdered his swordsman.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>
  <strong>CHOPPER</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The storm came on quickly, and Chopper was stressed out. Because of the scary barrel and the flare and the lightning, but also because Zoro was an all-knowing prophet and he’d had no idea. It was a little frightening. But Chopper didn’t have time to be frightened because there was a storm that was also frightening, in a different way, and Chopper really didn’t want to get thrown overboard because that would definitely increase his stress levels.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami and Franky were barking things out, and Chopper thought about Sanji’s pale face, the way his eye had gone big and round and scared when they got to the page with everyone’s names on it. Plus, the two extras. Chopper did not like seeing Sanji scared. It was like seeing Zoro scared (or, a terrifying thought, <em>Luffy</em> scared) and that meant he needed to start running already, the danger had to be close and imminent. But there was no danger, just a confusing notebook with lots of words and names Chopper had never heard of.</p>
<p>But everything about Sanji’s reaction screamed <em>danger</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rain was finally beginning to stop, and Chopper sat up panting. The sky wasn’t red anymore but there was a thick blanket of white fog and Chopper shivered. He wanted to climb up on Zoro’s shoulders but maybe he wasn’t allowed to do that anymore.</p>
<p>As if he’d overheard his thoughts, Zoro offered him a smile and started humming a song Chopper had never heard before, but it sounded nice. Like some kind of sea shanty.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh no,” said Nami. “Did we stumble onto that sea Kokoro was telling us about?”</p>
<p>“That’s right!” said Luffy, grinning broadly. “We have to cross haunted waters!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That did not sound like something Chopper was interested in, and he briefly flashed back to Kokoro telling them about the hidden horrors and floating skeletons coming their way, and Chopper let out a yelp.</p>
<p>“Yep,” said Franky, just as dark. They were all so brave. “Don’t let your guard down.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho ho,” hummed Zoro, eyes cast outward onto the grey ocean.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“From the looks of it, we’re already caught in the infamous Florian Triangle!” Chopper shuddered, shaking his head. “These are mysterious waters where everything disappears without explanation!”</p>
<p>“Haunted?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho,” Zoro didn’t look scary. He actually almost looked excited, which made Chopper feel a bit better. Even if he was humming a strange song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Z-Z-Zoro,” Chopper hugged his leg and Zoro patted him on the head affectionately.</p>
<p>Sanji lit a cigarette, the flaming making his face look eerie. “In this sea….over 100 ships  mysteriously vanish every year. And, I’ve heard ghost ships carrying the dead wander these waters.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper was terrified. Zoro was singing now, barely above a whisper. “Binkusu no sake wo…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ahh!” Usopp yelled. “I need to get my anti-evil stuff!”</p>
<p>“Get some for me too!” Chopper begged, holding onto Zoro’s leg tighter.</p>
<p>They weren’t really going to meet <em>ghosts,</em> were they? Chopper wasn’t ready for that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“…todoke ni yuku yo.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm,” said Luffy suddenly. “That sounds familiar, Zoro.”</p>
<p>“What does?”</p>
<p>Luffy laughed. “The song—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A thin, high-pitched voice carried over the wind. “Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone froze. “Where did that voice come from?” asked Usopp, looking between the darkening sea and Zoro respectively. They were <em>all</em> looking at Zoro, but he didn’t seem to notice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>An old ship was creaking towards them, the flag tattered and old. Chopper felt his heart start pounding faster, and he jumped onto Usopp’s head, and there was no way this was happening, but it was a—</p>
<p>“GHOST SHIP!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fear thundered through him. “It’s an evil sailor song!” yelled Usopp. “You summoned it here!” He pointed accusingly at Zoro, who rolled his eyes and didn’t seem scared at all.</p>
<p>“Sure.”</p>
<p>“If you hear the song it’ll curse you!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper screamed, accordingly, his hands furiously on his ears. “No, no, no!”</p>
<p>“Could someone be on that ship?” asked Robin aloud, and she glanced in Zoro’s direction too. He was doing a really bad job of hearing them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper trembled and peeked an eye out from behind his hat only to see a white, skeletal face gleaming out of the darkness, so shockingly pale it had to be bone, deep plunging sockets where the eyes should be, and Chopper had never been so scared in his life.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Binkusu no sake wo,” it sang out, except it’s a <em>skeleton</em> it couldn't be <em>singing</em>. “Todoke ni yuku yo.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The skeleton tips its cracked tea cup. Chopper wonders if this is all a very elaborate nightmare.</p>
<p>“It’s a singing skeleton!” Luffy cried out. “I wanna go see!” He turned to Zoro, eyes lit up. “Let’s go right now!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If Chopper wasn’t busy running around shrieking, he might’ve noticed the fond smile appear on Zoro’s face. But he didn’t.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>
  <strong>ROBIN</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy had brought back with him a skeleton that appeared capable of excellent motor function and speech, and thought it took even stranger things than this to truly surprise Robin at this point. Her captain was a funny, adventurous man who attracted all types. This was surely one of them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The skeleton asked to see my panties then Luffy asked it to join our crew,” said Nami when they returned. She did not seem enthusiastic about the addition. “And then it said <em>yes</em>.”</p>
<p>Hm. A very quick decision. Luffy possessed superb instincts, though, and… As soon as it appeared that no one was watching, their resident swordsman smiled. Like he was at peace.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp and Chopper had procured crucifixes at some point, which they were pointing towards the skeleton in question. He was well-dressed, if old-fashioned.</p>
<p>“My goodness,” the skeleton was walking towards her now. “Aren’t you a lovely lady? Might I please see your panties?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji was her ever-gallant savior, and Robin’s turned once again to his most interesting reaction to the notebook page with their names on it. Vinsmoke Sanji. Was he really a part of that royal family? And the connection to Germa…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper let out another shriek, and Robin chuckled. It was difficult to see the skeleton as much of a threat when Luffy was laughing so much, equally so with their swordsman acting the way he was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin wasn’t entirely sure when she’d started suspecting something, but it did seem like earlier than the others. The idea that he’d known that CP9 was going to be waiting for them on Water 7, that he’d known exactly what Robin’s plans were… it made her feel both uncomfortable and trusted at the same time. Because, well, it <em>would’ve</em> been nice to know beforehand, if he did in fact have that capability.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But it also meant he trusted that the crew would get her back and that she would let them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>(“To make my wish come true,”</em> she had said, keeping her voice cold and steady. She had to keep them from chasing after her. <em>“A wish that can never come true if I’m with you.”</em></p>
<p>The wish that they would all survive and live and laugh and travel the world. A dream she could no longer be a part of.</p>
<p>And Zoro had stared back at her, as if he could see straight into her soul. No concern for the CP9 officers. And he’d said, <em>“I think it could.”)</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>It surely wasn’t a coincidence that Zoro had been singing that old pirate song mere minutes before the decrepit ship arrived. Robin watched the relief sink onto his face, when everyone else was turned away, and she had an inkling of their new friend’s name.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They all settled into the kitchen, the skeleton loud and cheerful, seemingly overwhelmed and overjoyed by the company. He also appeared to share the exact sense of humor that her captain found so invigorating, as they laughed and cheered for food to come faster. Something about a ‘skull joke.’</p>
<p>“Oh, you’ll have to forgive me,” said the skeleton. “But what is your name?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It seemed like a glaring omission to ask someone to join a pirate crew before exchanging names, but Luffy had never been one for following social norms. “Oh, me? I’m Luffy. Who are you?”</p>
<p>“Me? Oh, I am Brook!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone in the crew stilled, save for Luffy and Zoro, and Chopper blurted out “But that was in—” and Usopp dove on top of him to stop the second half of the sentence from emerging.</p>
<p>The name from Zoro’s notebook before the Shichibukai Jimbe. Brook.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro eyed Chopper and Usopp but didn’t say anything. Luffy continued to plow forward, chattering about the aquarium that the octopi were from and what a great chef Sanji was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The food was absolutely delicious, as always. Nami leaned beside her, keeping her voice low under the cacophony that was their captain eating dinner and entertaining a guest.</p>
<p>“Brook was the name written in after Franky,” said Nami quietly, and Robin gave her a brief nod. “Then…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It certainly raised several questions. One, that this skeleton would in fact join their crew, and this was not a passing whim. Two, that Zoro had known this was going to happen. And three, which Robin assumed was being overlooked by the others, was the idea that <em>Jimbe</em>, Knight of the Sea, would also come to call Luffy captain.</p>
<p>Robin wondered how that would happen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of course, perhaps more pressingly, was how Zoro obtained this level of precognition. It was not <em>unheard</em> of for people to have visions of the future, to be capable of scrying. But Robin’s thoughts were moving in almost the opposite direction.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Brook was telling his story, and Robin was shaken out of her thoughts to pay attention. The Yomi Yomi no mi, apparently capable of allowing a person a second chance at life. A fruit that’s power only came into use when its user died, reviving them.</p>
<p>He’d once died in battle with his crew, only to be revived and be completely alone <em>and</em> be nearly decomposed. Robin thought that sounded quite horrific.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait!” Usopp shrieked suddenly. “Why doesn’t the mirror show your reflection?!”</p>
<p>“VAMPIRE!” screamed Chopper, and everyone tensed. Save for Zoro, who barely blinked at all.</p>
<p>“REALLY?!” cried out Luffy, as Sanji and Franky looked like they were ready for a fight. “THAT’S SO COOL!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin wasn’t sure if there was a limit on how strange a person or creature would have to be for Luffy to think they were terrifying instead of interesting. And as their new crewmate began the second half of his story, with the thievery of his shadow, Robin somehow predicted how this would end up going even if she didn’t have the extra knowledge from Zoro’s notebook.</p>
<p>“What would happen if you were hit directly by the sunlight?” asked Robin, and although Brook had no eyes, she imagined they would be sad.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My body would be obliterated.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shock rippled through all of them. “Obliterated?!” Robin saw Zoro bow his head slightly, something clouding his eyes. It wasn’t exactly fear or curiosity, but it was highly likely at this point that Zoro knew exactly who stole Brook’s shadow and what it would involve to get it back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was remarkably optimistic. For an existence that rejected light itself.</p>
<p>“Why are you so cheerful?” asked Sanji, sounding pained. Brook started to laugh, that same curious “Yo ho ho ho”, spinning around the room.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Today is a joyous day!” he exclaimed. “For I’ve met people! I’ve met all of you!” His voice softened. “All my crewmates died. I was alone on a large ship with a broken rudder, drifting for several decades, and I was so lonely. And scared! I wanted to die! But…I’m glad I have lived such a long life. People are joy! I see you and I see joy!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It took a certain kind of person, to see a walking, talking skeleton and instantly befriend it. Inviting a skeleton to one’s ship, giving it a meal and company without asking a single question. Showing that kindness and acceptance so easily. The same type of person who would accept a former enemy on their ship, simply because they had nowhere else to go.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>“Don’t worry,”</em> Luffy had grinned, and Robin truly hadn’t thought it would be that easy. Surely, she’d have to prove her worth first, prove some manner of usefulness. People always needed her to be useful. <em>“She’s not a bad person.”</em></p>
<p>Robin smiled, and her eyes met Zoro’s across the table. He didn’t turn away, but he did offer a small shrug. As if to say—well, this is how it goes, isn’t it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And it was.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Pre-timeskip crew knoooooows! Or, well, they think they know. All hail prophet Zoro. Lmk thoughts and happy holidays :)</p>
<p>Up next: Going back to Wano, where there definitely won't be any more wild misunderstandings!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“All of my time with Dragon was useful to understanding the political ideals of various islands in the New World—”</p>
<p>Wait. Dragon? Like, the same emperor dragon they were fighting now? Had Robin changed sides and was helping them now?! “Dragon?”</p>
<p>“You remember,” said Robin, although she still had that unreadable smile. “Our captain’s father.”</p>
<p>This really was too much. Not only was the cook’s mother one of the Yonko, but so was Luffy’s dad?! And they were in the middle of fighting him?!</p>
<p>“Right,” muttered Zoro, his head spinning. Where did all these relatives come from? “Must make for some awkward family reunions.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Part 10000 of me thinking I'm really incredibly funny</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>WANO</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was finding it a little easier to breathe, a little easier to be comfortable with so many new people and gaps in his memory, and things were looking up. The break in the apparently packed schedule of facing down the army of dragons meant he could catch <em>up</em>, and it probably was helpful to everyone else, too.</p>
<p>His unconscious four days had been such a whirlwind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But the biggest thing on his mind—well, there were a lot of things about the strange night when everyone decided to get belligerently drunk, but the cook accusing him of not making their new crewmembers feel welcome really stung.</p>
<p>(He was, for the most part, putting aside the <em>other</em> weird things the cook had said, specifically the accusations that Zoro thought he was weak when really, he was afraid it was the other way around, but he didn’t want the cook to <em>know</em> that.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro thought that a level of wariness was <em>reasonable</em>, considering these people had only been on the ship for like, less than a week, but apparently he was being inhospitable and making them <em>uncomfortable</em>, and while Zoro might’ve normally waited to pull out the charms until he’d seen them in a fight or two, if it was making <em>Luffy</em> upset…</p>
<p>He found Franky first, even though he’d been looking for the skeleton, deep in the heart of their brand-new ship. He looked sullen, or as sullen as robots could look, and Zoro tried to remember what he’d learned about the guy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Perverted, wears swimsuit trunks, definitely doing something with the woman Robin (and Zoro wasn’t a judgmental guy, despite what literally everyone apparently thought, but did he <em>have</em> to talk about her grabbing his dick so loudly? Keep some shit to yourself), and he liked building things. Zoro wasn’t perverted, wore pants, was not currently receiving hand jobs from anyone, and was fairly useless at building things, but only one of the four seemed to be a reasonable place for a conversation starter.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, Zoro! What’re you doing down here?”</p>
<p>There was a little snark, but if the cook didn’t think Zoro could be hospitable, then he was going to <em>show him</em> dammit. “I wanted to see if you were building anything cool.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky’s eyebrows shot up. “<em>You</em> want to see if I’m working on something cool? Did Law switch your heart with Luffy’s or something?”</p>
<p>Ha ha ha, what the fuck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not this time,” said Zoro, because he thought Franky was trying to make a joke. He also smiled, because <em>friendliness</em>, but Franky seemed even more taken aback.</p>
<p>“He shouldn’t play with hearts like that,” said Franky. “It can get seriously messy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Play with hearts… Law and Luffy…</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro tried to act like he wasn’t currently having an aneurysm, but what the <em>hell</em>. He thought Luffy was literally incapable of romantic thoughts towards <em>anyone</em>, but here he was bringing his scary boyfriend on board? It made so much terrifying sense. They must have rescued Law on Alabasta and then the two fell for each other! Because from what he gathered, Law wasn’t actually a part of their crew, so why else would he be sticking around?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, are you okay?”</p>
<p>“Super,” said Zoro weakly, and he pushed the sudden revelations away. “I really did just come to see what you were talking about. Not, uh, talk about Luffy’s personal life. Not that I <em>mind</em> or anything, I guess I’m just not good at picking up on hints…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky was staring at him like he’d grown a second head. “…Okay,” he said eventually. “Well, actually I’m working on this new upgrade—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not thinking about it was not working. But Zoro had come down here to be <em>friendly</em>, dammit, and he wasn’t going to let the stupid cook think he wasn’t capable of some basic manners or bullshit like that. Absolutely not.</p>
<p>…Zoro was <em>not</em> thinking about the weird looks Law had been giving him, or the passive aggressive taunts to practice sword fighting, or the moodiness.</p>
<p>Oh, <em>shit</em>, did Law think there was something between <em>him</em> and Luffy? Was it some sort of jealousy? Zoro flared up a little bit—if anyone should be jealous, it should be <em>Zoro</em>, considering Luffy had found not one but <em>two </em>other swordsmen while Zoro had been unconscious, but he was going to be very mature.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m serious, are you okay?” asked Franky, finally. “You’re usually not interested in this stuff.”</p>
<p>Well, that was true. “Mostly,” said Zoro, figuring he might as well be honest. Even if Franky wasn’t drunk, like the cook had been. Usopp had asked him if he was okay too, and the conversation hadn’t ended in disaster. More or less.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Zoro remembered that Franky had a failed marriage with Robin, too. From what he gathered, it was some tragic ordeal where their ex-lovers, Iceberg and Spandam, had gotten in the way. But they seemed to be doing fine, so Zoro wasn’t going to question it.)</p>
<p>“Mostly?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah, just adjusting to everything,” said Zoro. He didn’t want Franky to think he was just here out of <em>pity</em>. “But Wano’s pretty cool. Weird, but cool. I always wanted to meet samurai.”</p>
<p>“It’ll be better when Kaido’s out of the picture,” said Franky, and Zoro could agree now. Kaido was the emperor dragon.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They talked for a little about the plans, laughed at the fact that Luffy was probably going to ignore them anyway, and it felt…good. Relaxed. For all the metal and speedos and stuff, Franky was a cool guy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, you still not fighting with curly-brow?”</p>
<p>Zoro did <em>not</em> huff, but it came close. “He’s got to figure out those new powers of his, doesn’t he? How can I help with <em>that</em>?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky hummed. “They are pretty fresh. But you’re not still mad?”</p>
<p>“Well, a little,” said Zoro, thinking about the cook’s stupid Devil’s Fruit. “But I’m working on something—wait, actually, do you have anything fireproof in here?”</p>
<p>Franky didn’t miss a beat. “In this workshop? After all the shit I went through on Vegapunk’s island? Hell yeah I do, let’s check some stuff out.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro found Brook next, when he was looking for Robin. The skeleton looked surprised to see him, or Zoro <em>thought</em> it was surprise anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro-san! Are you feeling better?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Zoro smiled again. <em>Friendly</em>. He and Franky had spent the better part of the afternoon looking at different fire repellants, and Zoro was getting excited. Franky seemed happier too, when he left. Take <em>that</em> love-cook. “I was wondering if you wanted to spar later.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You and I?”</p>
<p>“Sure,” said Zoro. “Thought it could be good practice. I’m working on this new technique, and I thought it’d be helpful to have another set of eyes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He blinked, realizing that Brook didn’t actually <em>have</em> eyes, but then Brook burst out into loud “Yohohohohoho!” laughter. “A skull joke!” he exclaimed. “But of course, I would be honored to assist you any way I can.”</p>
<p>An <em>honor</em>. Look at that. He was totally killing it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“May I ask, Zoro, what ended up being the fate of Shusui?”</p>
<p>Zoro did not know what Shusui was. The confusion must have been evident on his face, because Brook backtracked. “Of course, it was your right to do as you wished, I was just curious as to the whereabouts.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, Zoro definitely had no clue what the answer to that was supposed to be. But Brook didn’t seem mad, just curious, and Shusui sort of sounded like a sword’s name…wait, was it Brook’s sword? Did he want it back?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I did not mean to pry,” said Brook, back to being more guarded. “Enma is a fine sword and very powerful.”</p>
<p>“You’re not prying!” said Zoro, because he was trying to make all these new people feel better not worse. “I just, uh, well… it ended up in the right hands,” he said lamely, but Brook looked pleased.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then it was returned to the grave of Ryuma?”</p>
<p>Ryuma? That was the name of the famous dragon slayer, one of the most famous swordsmen in history. He was from Wano, so perhaps Zoro had visited his grave. “Yeah.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m sure the people of Wano are grateful,” said Brook. “It may have been hard, but I’m sure his soul can rest easier now. Especially that he is not a shriveled-up zombie, yo ho ho ho!”</p>
<p>…Zombies? <em>When</em> did they have time to deal with <em>zombies</em>?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Unless… As far as Zoro knew, Brook had once died in a whaling accident, but then had gone on to recover by using this Devil’s Fruit, which could control shadows. It probably had something to do with that.</p>
<p>“I’m sure they are too,” said Zoro. Maybe Brook could control zombies. That would actually be pretty cool.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Brook made a good sparring partner. He tended towards attacks that <em>stabbed</em> more than <em>slashed</em>, but it was always good for Zoro to get used to a wider variety.</p>
<p>(It definitely didn’t make him feel better at all that Brook clearly was a musician first and swordsman second. Definitely not at all.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you think you could try attacking me while I spin the swords?” asked Zoro, and he expected <em>some</em> kind of question. For example, why Zoro was trying to spin his swords like a pinwheel on steroids.</p>
<p>But Brook just smiled and seemed more at peace. “Of course, Zoro-san.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This time, Zoro did actually run into Robin, in the library. Having a library was pretty cool, and there was even a section dedicating to swords, among all the other less interesting stuff. Who wanted the cheap romance novels?</p>
<p>“Oh, hey Robin,” said Zoro, as casual as he could make it. Robin looked up at him, and there was <em>something</em> familiar about her, but Zoro couldn’t remember what. Maybe they actually had met before she joined, and Zoro really just had a shitty memory. “What’re you reading?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hm? Oh, just some background on the history of this country…its isolationist history is fascinating.”</p>
<p>Zoro normally wasn’t interested in books. Even books about things that he liked. But actually, it could be very useful to know more about what was going on… “What’re some of the good parts?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin’s expression was hard to read. Zoro was sure the cook had said something about upsetting her, but she almost looked like she’d been expecting him. A small smile, and “I’d be happy to read some of it to you.”</p>
<p>It was a little weird at first, but Zoro slowly let his guard down and asked a few more questions. Because context was nice, and Robin didn’t seem to mind or act like he should’ve known the answers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“All of my time with Dragon was useful to understanding the political ideals of various islands in the New World—”</p>
<p>Wait. Dragon? Like, the same emperor dragon they were fighting now? Had Robin changed <em>sides</em> and was helping them now?! “Dragon?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You remember,” said Robin, although she still had that unreadable smile. “Our captain’s father.”</p>
<p>This really was too much. Not only was the cook’s mother one of the Yonko, but so was Luffy’s <em>dad</em>?! And they were in the <em>middle of fighting him</em>?!</p>
<p>“Right,” muttered Zoro, his head spinning. Where did all these <em>relatives</em> come from? “Must make for some awkward family reunions.”</p>
<p>“Ah, yes,” said Robin. “With Vice Admiral Garp. Although, I’m sure they stay out of each other’s way.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t want to try to process that either. He didn’t think he had enough mental capacity for it. “And his brother,” said Zoro, knowing at least <em>that</em> was something to contribute.</p>
<p>“I’d imagine so,” said Robin. “Although, apparently Garp was present as the execution of Portgas D. Ace.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She said it so solemnly, so seriously, that Zoro almost thought it was a joke, but there wasn’t even an inch of humor on her face. The…the <em>what</em> of Ace?! The same Ace that he’d only met about a week ago?!</p>
<p>“I know, it does seem cruel,” said Robin, perhaps misreading Zoro’s complete shock for something else. “It did lead to several of the shifts in command at Marine Headquarters.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook called out for dinner. Zoro didn’t move, even as Robin stood and left the library. Hid head was spinning, more than he thought was possible. It couldn’t be true. It <em>couldn’t</em> be true. An execution?! Pulled together in such short time?</p>
<p>It was possible the marines had moved so quickly to avoid incurring the wrath of Whitebeard. That’s what Zoro would do. But Luffy seemed… well, he seemed so <em>normal</em>. He seemed happy. But Zoro hadn’t known him during a loss, didn’t know what kind of reaction to expect. Maybe this was just his way of dealing with it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“And it was really cool! Jimbe told me he and Ace fought a bunch before he joined the old guy’s crew, so it was nice talking to him—”</em>
</p>
<p>Luffy had said it so easily. Zoro felt regret clinging to him horribly, even though he’d barely met the man.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He didn’t go to dinner. The cook would be mad, but Zoro had done three (3) things in an attempt to placate the cook today, and he just… he needed a minute. To process all of that.</p>
<p>“Ace is dead…” Zoro murmured, finding some quiet down in the boy’s bunk. He’d decided that all the wanted posters were jokes—else, why would <em>Vinsmoke Sanji</em> be just slightly ahead of his? Whatever the hell a ‘Vinsmoke’ was supposed to be. All the numbers were ridiculous anyway. Just the funniest monikers they could think of. Pirate Hunter was dumb, considering he was a pirate now, right?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It would be nice to get a real bounty eventually, though.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace was dead. And Zoro had never been one to let grief overtake him, had never liked looking back, but even he thought it was a fast recovery process.</p>
<p>Unless… sudden guilt welled up in him, a crashing wave of realization. Unless it wasn’t a coincidence that he’d been badly injured around the same time. Unless the plans his injury had derailed were actually plans to rescue <em>Ace</em>, or they’d been injured in the same attack, and only one of them had made it—</p>
<p>He was spiraling. But there could be some truth to it, and Zoro needed to know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro found Jimbe after dinner was long over, and he’d managed to avoid anyone asking him where he’d been. “Zoro-kun,” he said, looking both surprised and not at the same time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey,” said Zoro. “Can we talk?”</p>
<p>The fishman’s brow furrowed, and Zoro realized that so far, he seemed to be the most normal addition to the crew. No illicit love affairs (that he knew of), and not a walking skeleton. They hadn’t really had a chance to talk though, and with the news of Ace fresh on his mind…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course,” said Jimbe, and they made their way to the crow’s nest, Zoro’s thoughts swarming.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was actually Jimbe who spoke first, as they sat across from each other. “I suppose we should’ve talked first,” he said, voice serious and polite at the same time. “But with the way things went with the wedding…” He shook his head. “Luffy-kun speaks very highly of you. My experience as a captain and a Shichibukai taught me many things about successful crews.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh,” said Zoro, wondering how on earth Luffy had convinced this apparently reasonable adult to join their insane, fresh-into-the-Grand-Line crew. Wait, did he say Shichibukai?</p>
<p>How did Luffy get a former pirate captain turned <em>Shichibukai</em> to join their crew?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thank you,” said Zoro, copying his polite mannerisms. “Luffy talked a lot about you too. I’m…” He nearly hesitated, but it felt <em>different</em> than when he was around Robin and Brook and Franky. He felt like he could be more transparent, for whatever reason.</p>
<p>Maybe because Jimbe didn’t seem to pretend to <em>know</em> him like the others did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m sorry I haven’t sat down to talk either,” said Zoro, and remembering his <em>friendliness</em> mantra from earlier in the day, offered what he hoped looked like a genuine smile. “It’s… well, like you said. There’s been a lot going on. But I hope I haven’t made you feel unwelcome.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jimbe looked surprised, and Zoro was a little too, because that <em>really</em> wasn’t the kind of stuff he said, but then the fishman smiled too. “You haven’t at all,” he said. “But I am glad to hear it.”</p>
<p>“And…” Here Zoro hesitated, but it wouldn’t do him any good to be in the dark. “Luffy told me you know—knew Ace.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I did,” said Jimbe, and there was a small, sad smile now. “Before he joined Whitebeard—well, frankly he was trying to assassinate him. So, we had a minor disagreement. I believe it lasted five full days.” He laughed, but again it was tinged with sadness. “He was a strong kid. Fierce fighter. The whole affair was a real tragedy. A parent should not determine the sin of the child.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Right, because of the dragon Yonko. Of course, that wouldn’t put him in good graces with the World Government. But then—</p>
<p>“The son of the Pirate King,” Jimbe shook his head. “I never would’ve guessed.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe this was someone’s way of killing him. Slowly, by feeding him information that was <em>completely ridiculous</em> but that everyone was treating as factual. How <em>how</em> could Gold Roger be Ace’s dad?! Because if that were the case…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then the Pirate King was also <em>Luffy’s</em> father.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If Zoro had been less tired, less overwhelmed with everything thrown in his direction, he probably would’ve thought that through and done a little math. Or, at least, assume that Luffy and Ace were actually half-brothers, sharing the same mother instead.</p>
<p>But Zoro did not think about it carefully. One of Luffy’s parents was an emperor of the sea, and the other was the fucking previous Pirate King, which left a sour taste in Zoro’s mouth. He’d always thought Luffy was setting out with this goal in mind because it was what he wanted, not because of some sort of familial desire. It felt weakened.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was tired. Really tired.</p>
<p>“Me neither,” said Zoro, because he realized that he stopped talking. “Me neither.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been a long day. Zoro knew he should probably eat something, but the idea of eating (even the shitty cook’s food) just made his stomach turn. He laid down in bed, eyes open in the darkness. With any luck, no one would try to talk to him.</p>
<p>Luffy and Law, which, okay he could sort of see it, but it also made him feel weirdly protective and a little annoyed. He could shove the thoughts into the same little box that was ‘the cook and Usopp’ and ‘Robin and Franky’ without too much trouble, though.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace was dead.</p>
<p>Ace and Luffy’s parents were a Yonko and the fucking Pirate King. <em>What</em> was up with <em>that</em>?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It felt like soup. Zoro’s brain felt like <em>soup</em> as it tried to stretch, tried to adjust, tried to make some sense out of things that didn’t make any sense. But what ground did he even have to spring off from? What did he know, what did he <em>truly</em> know about any of them? He thought he knew Luffy, but did he? Who was he to be <em>irrationally</em> angry that Luffy was the son of the Pirate King? That Luffy had started some kind of bizarre relationship with someone who looked like they hadn’t slept in decades?</p>
<p>Zoro sighed. It was that he thought he did. He thought he <em>did</em> get Luffy well enough. That he understood him. That he understood <em>all</em> of them, the shit cook (who he apparently literally knew nothing about), Usopp (who’s wedding he wasn’t invited to), Nami (who’d tried to shoot the cook at his own wedding) …</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But maybe he just didn’t know any of them it at all. It was a depressing thought, the kind that prompted something like <em>alcohol</em>, and thank god they’d all just sort of accepted him as some quasi-alcoholic, drinking shit for no apparent reason. It would be nice if it actually affected him, though. It was like all the training he’d been doing since crossing into the Grand Line had accumulated all at once, lending him more strength but also more <em>mass</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t like the strange, uneasy place he was occupying. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one, and as Zoro took another drink, the thin strands of time pushed and pulled, as each small change built on top of the other, threatening to spill over.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Is this stretching the absurdity limit? Probably, but also it's One Piece, so I think some absurdity is warranted. Let me know what you thought! </p>
<p>Up next: Thriller Bark, and everyone is onto him.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He could just say it now. They were all there, and he could explain who he really was. Where he’d come from. Except they were working against a deadline now, with until sunrise to get the shadows back and stop Moria. Plus…</p>
<p>If Kuma still came, and their deal still went the same, Zoro couldn’t let any of them know it was happening a second time. Absolutely not. He’d have to figure out a way around that first.</p>
<p>“After this is over,” said Zoro finally, and Nami gave him a surprised look. “I’ll give you my word on that. But we need to focus.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zoro missed Brook, dammit. He could tell Robin was watching him, probably noticing the smile that stupidly crept onto his face, but he couldn’t really bring himself to care. If anyone was going to figure it out, it would be that woman, and it wouldn’t really matter anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, yes, he was excited when Brook brought out his violin, easing it on his shoulder to begin to play. Luffy was glowing with excitement at the prospect of a musician, and Zoro liked listening to Brook play as much as any of them did. Or, would.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But then—“G-G-GHOST!” Brook screamed, and Zoro looked up to see the absurdly familiar hollow poking out of the wall. He’d somehow forgotten that Perona was on Thriller Bark.</p>
<p>“Come look!” Brook had run out of the door. “Your ship was already being observed. They’ve blocked the path ahead of you! This is what caused the tremor!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?!” Nami looked aghast as Usopp shrieked that it looked like a sea monster had eaten them.</p>
<p>“By any chance…” said Brook, as they all stared out front. “Did you pick up a drifting barrel while out at sea?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy’s eyes widened. “We did find one!”</p>
<p>“Then they’ve been after you since then.”</p>
<p>“Wait,” said Nami. “You mean to say that the barrel was a <em>trap</em>?! Somehow leading us here?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She was glaring in Zoro’s direction for some reason, as if she would’ve done any better at stopping Luffy from opening the treasure barrel, and it was good that they did anyway so they could get Brook’s shadow back. “I guess so,” he said, when it appeared she wanted an answer.</p>
<p>“Then <em>why</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How’d an island get here?!” interrupted Luffy, and Brook lowered his head.</p>
<p>“This is the ghost island that wanders the seas,” he said. “Thriller Bark.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt the name run down his spine, as it always did. An annoying tick he couldn’t seem to get away from. Because no matter what else happened on Thriller Bark—the gaining of nakama, another Shichibukai defeated, it would always come to mean Kuma.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey,” said Nami. “This isn’t showing up on the log pose.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That makes sense,” said Brook. “After all, this island is from West Blue.”</p>
<p>“West Blue?!”</p>
<p>Was it really necessary to hear this all again?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My lucky day!” said Brook instead. “I have met you kind people, and I now the opportunity to pursue my dream.” He leapt from the balcony, eliciting several gasps. “Please, escape now, while you can, You do not want to drop anchor here. It was a pleasure meeting you, and I won’t forget the delicious meal!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait, Brook—”</p>
<p>Zoro watched as Brook jumped off into the water, running on it like he was light as air. Funny to think that Luffy would be deterred so easily, and although Thriller Bark didn’t fill him with any pleasant memories, it wasn’t like they could avoid it either.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Brook had been waiting fifty years for them, and Zoro wasn’t going to get in the way of that. Plus, Shusui was on this island, and although he’d managed to protect Yubashiri, Shusui was an even more familiar blade. Would make him feel more at home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Anyway, Luffy, we should take his advice,” said Nami, as if she’d never met Luffy before. “This island doesn’t seem to be anything but trouble.”</p>
<p>“Heh? Did you say something?”</p>
<p>“HE’S DYING TO GO!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I believe,” said Robin calmly. “That the tremor we felt was the closing of that gate. Essentially, we are likely trapped within the confines of the fence surrounding this island.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy in no way looked deterred by this, even as Nami, Chopper, and Usopp shivered and sank to the floor. Zoro for the life of him couldn’t remember how <em>just</em> those three ended up together having to face everything, but after messing up with Usopp and the gold, he wasn’t sure if he should try to change anything else…</p>
<p>It was nice, seeing mini-Merry again, and seconds before the three of them hopped in, Zoro grabbed Usopp’s arm and whispered low and quiet, “Trust your instincts.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp stared at him, wariness taking over his face, but then the three of them were in the small boat and Zoro just had to hope they’d pull through.</p>
<p>They disappeared in the fog and then there was a scream. Zoro did not miss that they all looked at <em>him</em> first, which was frankly just rude at this point. As if he was supposed to remember everything. And they weren’t even supposed to know that!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What happened?!” The cook asked quickly. “That sounded like Nami-san!”</p>
<p>“Why are you asking <em>me</em>?!”</p>
<p>“I wonder if a ghost killed them with a curse,” said Robin mildly. Zoro was going to tell her to <em>stop</em> that, but then he felt another presence alive on the ship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The anchor dropped, and Zoro moved after it, getting so close he could hear the invisible man hiss. Wasn’t this the asshole who tried to marry Nami or something?</p>
<p>Well, that seemed avoidable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy’s eyes followed, which meant that some of their training had been working, as the cook yelled “What’s there?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro weighed potential consequences of just getting the weirdo out of the way with whatever that would mean for everyone else, and then the cook was flying in the air, as if being pulled by some invisible presence.</p>
<p>As if. Hah.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That made it easy. Zoro jumped, swords glinting, faster than the invisible man was anticipating, and blood stained the air.</p>
<p>“What the <em>fuck</em>?!” yelled the cook, dropping back to Sunny hard. Franky’s eyes were huge and even Robin looked surprised.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another thud followed, and a growl. Warning and alarm. “I would keep your paws to yourself,” said Zoro, drawing Wado. The light reflected across the white blade, and Zoro struck again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s <em>there</em>?!” asked Franky, and then Luffy sent a flying punch, very nearly on the mark. It was enough to send Absalom flying off the ship, blood spurting out before hitting the water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nice,” said Zoro, approvingly, even as the cook turned wildly between them and Robin was making the expression that usually meant she suspected trouble.</p>
<p>“Blood made it easier,” said Luffy, still frowning at the splash. “But—<em>oof</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were getting pulled in. “I was going to finish him off,” said Zoro absently as Franky started panicking about Sunny.</p>
<p>“Finish <em>what</em>?!” The cook snarled. “What are we supposed to do about getting pulled <em>in</em> you stupid mosshead?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why <em>me</em>?!”</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>I</em> don’t know!”</p>
<p>Zoro glowered at him, but then they started to be pulled in faster. “Oi, Zoro-bro!” called out Franky. “What do you think we should—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Like I said! Why are you asking me?!”</p>
<p>“The paddle won’t budge!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I was planning on going to the island anyway,” said Luffy, grinning broadly. “It’s an <em>adventure</em>, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>This time Zoro just sighed, looking out fondly towards the churning water as they got closer to the spider web. Some kind of adventure. In a weird way, he was looking forward to seeing Perona again. Even if she had no idea who he was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro! Come on!” They’d gotten stuck, right in front of the entrance to Thriller Bark, and Zoro had been just planning on going along without any fuss but the words sent another chill down his spine.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p>His heart thudded in his chest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook, Robin, and Franky were looking at his reluctance with a range of expressions. But they were all looking now, and Zoro was tired of pretending to be someone he wasn’t, but was he going to explain it <em>now</em>? “I’ll share my bento with you!”</p>
<p>It was as close to a declaration of love as Luffy ever got. “Fine,” said Zoro, jumping off the ship. At least he could keep an eye on them. And Sunny would be fine.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The entrance to hell was guarded by a three-headed dog, whose attitude was sufficiently damaged by Luffy going “Do you think it’ll taste good?!” instead of cowing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aw, I think he’s cute,” said Robin, while Franky narrowed his eyes. “Think he’s lookin’ for a fight?”</p>
<p>If it had been originally, it was not anymore, especially as Luffy started barking at it.</p>
<p>“Looks like he’s got his fighting spirit back,” said the cook, taking a step forward before Luffy put his arm out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait!” He grinned, big in its shit-eating glory. “I want to try to tame it!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tame it?”</p>
<p>“Good dog, good dog, that’s right, good dog.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All three of the dog’s heads bit down, clamping over Luffy’s body. Zoro sighed loudly, rolling his eyes at the cook, who was wearing a similar expression.</p>
<p>“How surprising,” he said dryly, and Robin giggled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, let go doggie, that’s right, nice and slow—” Luffy slammed his fist into the sewn-together creature. “Stupid dog!”</p>
<p>It sat, reeling, as Luffy extended an arm. “Now, shake!”</p>
<p>Zoro and the cook both sighed this time, Franky laughing about Luffy ‘having a way with animals’ behind them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But, the ‘taming’ at least has given them a creature for Luffy to ride on, which always put him in a good mood, and they wandered towards the graveyard. It was just as unusual-looking as it had been the first time, although nothing had shown itself to them yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, Cerberus-san, you look glum.”</p>
<p>“Don’t pity him, Robin,” said Zoro, as the cook loudly called out for Nami. “It’ll hurt his pride.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then, a tree with a stitched-on face and a unicorn with a stitched on face were drinking tea in the shadows, and Luffy gasped, eyes wide.</p>
<p>“Why are you wrestling that tree?” asked the cook, as Franky went after the unicorn enthusiastically.</p>
<p>“Luffy,” cut in Zoro. “Absolutely not.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoooooroooooo.”</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>“But <em>Zoro</em>—”</p>
<p>“Can’t a skeleton be good enough?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy pouted. “Zoro’s <em>mean</em>.”</p>
<p>“Just let go of the tree.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I wonder what’s next!” Luffy grinned as they continued through the haunted forest. “This is so much fun!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I wonder,” muttered the cook darkly, giving Zoro a very indiscrete glare.</p>
<p>Zoro was not in the mood to act patient. “You have something you wanna say?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“All of the bizarre animals in this forest seem to share the same traits,” said Robin, apparently ignoring both of them. “Bandages, stitches, and numbers tattooed to their bodies. That makes me think someone is overseeing them.”</p>
<p>Everyone tried to process that as a familiar (Zoro should <em>not</em> be getting emotional about Perona), high-pitched chant came towards them. “Ne-ga-tive, ne-ga-tive!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“THERE’S A GHOST!” yelled Luffy, as Zoro took a step back to avoid them. Two years of practice might actually be useful.</p>
<p>“Think they’re dangerous?!” Franky also took a step back, even as Luffy sounded more excited.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“They’re multiplying as they dance! Awesome!” Luffy swung his net around, trying to catch one as a pet. Zoro sighed and kept his eye on them.</p>
<p>“Creepy chant,” muttered the cook.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was already on the ground, a miniature cloud of darkness hovering above him and Franky. “I should be reborn as a clam!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why do we have such a dumb captain?” moaned the cook, shaking his head.</p>
<p>“And shipwright,” Zoro added, before deftly kicking the cook into the way of the third ghost.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Everything I do is awful.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin have him an amused look. “That wasn’t very nice,” she said, as the three of them stayed crouched down.</p>
<p>Zoro shrugged. “He’ll be fine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He would be mad at him, but the cook was always mad at him, and Zoro had experienced enough of those stupid hollows <em>thankyouverymuch</em>.</p>
<p>Plus, it was a little funny.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“AHHHH! I DON’T WANT THE GHOSTS AS PETS ANYMORE!” Luffy was seething as they stood back up, angrily continuing to march. “THEY SUCK!”</p>
<p>“They must have a weakness!” Franky’s eyes flashed as he glowered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You really suck, you know that?!” The cook had kicked him when he snapped out of his depressed state, but it was definitely worth it. “What’s those ghosts problem?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro stifled a laugh, which he thought was very mature of him. “They’re harmless. Just annoying.”</p>
<p>“Then why’d you PUSH ME INTO IT?!”</p>
<p>“Couldn’t help it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook let out an annoyed yell again, and Zoro dodged another kick. “Wow!” exclaimed Luffy, running between the two of them. “This cemetery has so much character! Let’s eat here!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s attention was drawn towards one of the gravestones as the cook started arguing with Luffy about the fate of their meal. Another moment to be recorded in dumb things Luffy would do, or maybe brave things. Two sides of the same coin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The body, bandaged and skeletal, rose out of the dirt, and Luffy stared at it in surprise. He then proceeded to walk over and attempt to shove it back down.</p>
<p>“Is that really going to work?” asked the cook.</p>
<p>Sure enough, the zombie burst back out, looking irate. “I don’t want to go back!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy blinked. “A severely injured old man?”</p>
<p>“It’s obviously a zombie!” yelled Zoro, the cook, and Franky at the same time.</p>
<p>The rest of the zombies popped out enthusiastically, yelling about how great they were, and the cook frowned. “Are zombies supposed to be this full of life?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are these guys dangerous, Zoro-bro?!” Franky’s voice rumbled, and Zoro sighed. Apparently he was being less than effective.</p>
<p>“What do <em>you</em> think?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shishishi, they weren’t very brave,” said Luffy cheerfully after they’d quickly taken all of the zombies out. They were approaching the mansion now, which Nami, Usopp, and Chopper had run towards. Hopefully, Usopp had listened to him just a <em>little</em> bit and they weren’t trusting anyone.</p>
<p>“Barely counted as a warm up,” added Franky.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We should still keep our guard up,” said Zoro. “We don’t know what could be coming up around the corner.”</p>
<p>“Oh?” said Robin, sounding intrigued, and Zoro was debating if he should just not say anything for the rest of their damn time on the stupid island.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But it did bring up a useful point, as they approached the mansion’s door and the old man ran after them to talk to Luffy about the missing shadows and Gecko Moria. Zoro was not interested in having his shadow taken, and he was doubly interested in keeping <em>Luffy’s</em> shadow out of that horrifying creature. But he hardly remembered what led to their shadows being taken in the first place, and if he changed too much, things might not work out the way they had.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>So</em> many things relied on a combination of their very good and very shitty luck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“His bounty used to?”</p>
<p>“That’s right,” Robin was saying. “He is one of the Shichibukai.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And now Franky and the cook were giving Zoro sideways glances, and he rolled his eyes. “What?”</p>
<p>“You don’t seem very surprised,” said the cook bluntly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shichibukai are troublesome, aren’t they?” Zoro had enough run-ins with them to prove <em>that</em> at least. Except, right, this crew hadn’t seen any since Crocodile. And before that <em>Mihawk</em>, good grief.</p>
<p>This was getting ridiculous.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The man continued to bemoan the miserable existence he and the other victims had, and wasn’t it just a perfect recipe for Luffy to take interest in something?</p>
<p>They walked to the front door, the billowing sail of Thriller Bark now fully visible, and Luffy punched the door lock open. “Wow! It opened right up!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Moron,” muttered the cook, but they all went inside, sticking close to each other. Zoro would say this was the most overly gothic mansion he’d been in, but that would be a lie, wouldn’t it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of course Mihawk had fewer zombies and more bloodthirsty monkeys, but to each his own.</p>
<p>The paintings tried to kill them (ineffective) or maybe just intimidate them (ineffective), but Zoro knew at <em>some</em> point they were taken for their shadows, he just didn’t remember<em> when</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself. Robin and Franky were leaning over the pig, prepared to interrogate. Except…</p>
<p>“Ah, <em>shit</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The three of them blinked at him, even the pig looking a little surprised, but Zoro ignored it. Dammit, what was the use of doing this a second time if he didn’t <em>remember</em> shit?!</p>
<p>“Cook’s gone,” he said, eyes taking in the chaos of the room. “We’re being hunted.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p>Luffy frowned but shrugged. “Sanji will be fine.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He would be. That didn’t make Zoro feel any better about it, especially with the looks Franky and Robin were giving him. They wouldn’t think he’d let him get taken on <em>purpose</em>…right? More like he’d been so focused remembering how much of a pain <em>Luffy’s</em> shadow was that he’d forgotten about the others.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They started walking through the halls, and Zoro kept his attention on the spider now, firmly registering its presence as it followed them. He glanced back once, catching the pair of red eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He would strike as soon as it came for him.</p>
<p>“Is there a problem, swordsman-san?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No,” said Zoro. “Just try not to let the spider-thing get you. It’d be a pain if we had our shadows stolen too.”</p>
<p>“What spider?”</p>
<p>Oh, for the love of… “Nothing. There’s no spider.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now they were all looking behind them, curiously, and the pig, in a panicky voice yelled, “Get them now!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro could only describe what happened next as a complete cluster-fuck. Suddenly they were being charged, not just by the sneaky spider-mice-combos but by other zombies, too, coming at them ferociously.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh?!”</p>
<p>“They’re so many!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro drew his swords, slicing rapidly, but already he couldn’t see Luffy, Franky, and Robin anymore. It would be fine, they’d be able to fight their way out, but keeping Luffy’s shadow out of Oars would be <em>really</em>—</p>
<p>He dove out of the way of one of the stupid zombies and eyed the window. If they ended up captured, they’d be taking them to Moria, right? Luffy had vanished in the chaos, but it wasn’t completely hopeless yet.</p>
<p>Why were there <em>knights</em>?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The fight was being more split up now, dragging him further away from the others. Dammit, he needed to have better plans than this, but he didn’t come <em>up</em> with plans, he wasn’t even that good at following plans, and now the cook’s shadow had been taken.</p>
<p>“Luffy!” he yelled out, but they’d been pushed into the arena-like room, the door slammed shut. “Shit…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He wouldn’t be able to get in there. Not with all of the zombies in his way. But he could try to get ahead of them.</p>
<p>Zoro jumped to the windowsill and leapt out, crashing into the trees. Time to find Moria.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was not going as planned.</p>
<p>“Why does everything on this island keep <em>moving</em>?!” grumbled Zoro, brushing off another attack. There had been fewer of them, since he’d somehow moved away from the castle, but wasn’t he trying to get <em>closer</em> to the castle?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ehhh?! What’s one of the crew members doing out here?!”</p>
<p>“Is he trying to run away?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro glared at the two cowering zombies. “No, I’m going <em>towards</em> the castle!”</p>
<p>“No, you’re not!”</p>
<p>“Why you—” Zoro cut them away and continued to run. What did they know, anyway? Especially when that giant mast had to be moving, or else Zoro would’ve gotten there by now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A loud shriek drew his attention, and Zoro turned only to have a blur of orange and white coming crashing into him.</p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p>“<em>Zoro?!</em>”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was Nami, panting and out of breath and wearing a wedding dress for some reason. “You getting married?”</p>
<p>“Idiot,” snapped Nami, looking fearfully behind her. “I don’t know why you’re here, but we have to move, this invisible guy—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’ve met,” said Zoro dryly, drawing his swords and finding the man crouching in the trees.</p>
<p>“You’ve—” Nami shook her head. “Can you just—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was already moving, adrenaline pushing him forward. This was <em>much</em> better than some dumb ambush, and the lion man growled. “I won’t let you have my bride!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your what?!” Zoro laughed, blade hitting flesh. “Trust me, you don’t want to be married to this sea witch.”</p>
<p>“<em>Hey!</em>”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His opponent wasn’t bad, but Zoro was better, gripping his swords and turning them glossy and black. He’d tried to finish the job on Sunny, but this would work, too. “Sanzen… sekai!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Blood flew out, and the invisible man screamed in pain, hitting the grass with a thud. Zoro pointed his swords towards the man, who was slowly becoming visible as his injuries deepened.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s useless,” he panted. “Moria is stronger than anyone. <em>He’s</em> going to be King of the Pirates, not your useless captain—”</p>
<p>Zoro saw red, and in a culmination of being in an extraordinarily bad mood, he sliced down <em>hard</em> and the decapitated head of the stitched man rolled by.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, Jesus…” Nami grimaced, her face pale, looking at the blood-stained grass. She looked tired, dirt and blood covering the white dress. “He wouldn’t leave me alone. Wanted me to be his bride.”</p>
<p>Zoro snorted, sheathing his swords. He’d need to clean them later. “Good thing you ran this way.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good thing you were here,” said Nami suspiciously, even though the first time around this definitely didn’t happen. Although, she didn’t need to know that. “He was already injured some, thank god. So, it wasn’t too hard escaping the chapel, but I didn’t think I’d get away…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She frowned. “Where <em>are</em> you going anyway? Back to the ship?”</p>
<p>“Uh…” Well, at this point, their shadows were almost certainly gone. “Yeah. That should be where everyone else is.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mhm,” said Nami dryly. “Carry me, will you? I’m exhausted.”</p>
<p>Rolling his eyes, he put Nami on his shoulders. “What, not bridal style?”</p>
<p>“Cook’s gonna kill me anyway.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami let out a tired laugh. “Him or the weird thing that has his shadow? We ran into it earlier, some penguin-dog thing.”</p>
<p>Zoro felt a stab of guilt. “Dammit,” he muttered, turning right and starting to run.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Left</em>, Zoro, <em>left,</em>” Nami instructed. “How do you ever get anywhere you’re going?!”</p>
<p>“Shut up!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She continued to nag him until Sunny came into sight, and then continued to give him directions even though there was no way he could mess it up being this close, right?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I do not believe that,” said Nami sourly, when he voiced this aloud. “And anyway, what <em>were</em> you doing all the way out there?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I…” Zoro sighed. “Well, I was trying to get to the castle so Luffy’s shadow wouldn’t be taken…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You were so far away!”</p>
<p>“Shut up! This island’s confusing!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami let out a short laugh. “Even for someone who already knows what’s going to happen next?”</p>
<p>Zoro was quiet, slowing down his pace as they went down the ladder-like stairs towards the ship. “It’s not that easy, y’know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh? You’re finally going to admit it?”</p>
<p>“Admit what?” said Zoro, just because he knew it would tick her off. Instead, she just folded her arms and sighed. “What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re a bad actor and you’re not fooling anyone,” said Nami. “Even Chopper’s onto you and he couldn’t recognize <em>Sogeking</em>.”</p>
<p>Zoro stopped walking, even though he could feel the presences of everyone else on board. Except, Luffy’s and the cook’s were both weaker. His fault.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could just say it now. They were all there, and he could explain who he really was. Where he’d come from. Except they were working against a deadline now, with until sunrise to get the shadows back and stop Moria. Plus…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If Kuma still came, and their deal still went the same, Zoro couldn’t let any of them know it was happening a second time. Absolutely not. He’d have to figure out a way around that first.</p>
<p>“After this is over,” said Zoro finally, and Nami gave him a surprised look. “I’ll give you my word on that. But we need to focus.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No more pretending?” asked Nami, eyes narrowed.</p>
<p>Zoro shrugged. “What pretending? I thought you said I was a bad actor.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m holding you to that,” Nami warned, still gripping onto his shoulders. He was hit with another wave of homesickness, faint and prickling. Of course it would happen when the witch was bossing him around.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I promised, didn’t I?”</p>
<p>“You did,” acknowledged Nami. “And I’m still saying it. Now, come on. Let’s figure out what all these other idiots are up to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nami!”</p>
<p>“Zoro!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper and Usopp shot towards them as they made their way into the kitchen where everyone else was crowded, Luffy and the cook both dazed on the floor but awake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There’s no lady with meat!” grumbled Luffy. “Just Zoro and Nami!”</p>
<p>“How’d you get away from that guy, Nami?!” Usopp let out a sigh of relief. “We were really worried!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ran into this moron looking for Moria,” said Nami, jumping down, and Zoro glared at her.</p>
<p>“<em>Hey!</em>”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami rolled her eyes. “It’s true, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“Oh, we thought they got you too!” said Franky. “<em>Super</em> good to see you, Zoro-bro. Those armored zombies were crazy!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy blinked several times, and the cook was glaring at him, which Zoro was expecting but—“WHY IS NAMI-SWAN IN A WEDDING DRESS?!” he roared, jumping up with a surprising amount of energy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Because I married Zoro,” said Nami, deadpan. “Obviously.”</p>
<p>“WHAAAAAT?! THIS STUPID MOSSHEAD?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No!” Nami hit the cook over the head. “It was this invisible cat guy. Anyway, that’s not the point now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“WAIT, WHERE’S MORIA!”</p>
<p>“Calm down!” Nami hit Luffy and let out a long sigh. “He’s not here!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m afraid your shadows were already taken,” said Robin. “We had a chance encounter with Brook that allowed us to avoid the same fate.”</p>
<p>The cook glanced around and then back at them, as if he didn’t want to think about what the kitchen looked like. “What are we doing back here? Shit, this feels weird…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro remembered feeling along those lines. And, yeah, <em>now</em> the cook was glaring at him for reasons more in line with what Zoro actually felt guilty for. Not marrying Nami, for fuck’s sake.</p>
<p>“Well, we think we know where both of your shadows are,” said Usopp. “One better than the other…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And so, Usopp and Chopper described the penguin with a dog-face that talked shit about “not kicking women” just like the cook did, and the monstrous frozen beast that was taking Luffy’s shadow.</p>
<p>“It yelled out for Sanji to cook it meat,” said Usopp. “So, pretty sure it was you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah! Sanji! That reminds me, I’m hungry!”</p>
<p>“They took all our <em>food</em>, moron.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky was nodding along. “That fits in with what Brook was telling us. We’ve got some information on the nature of these shadows now, too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Now?” The cook was glaring at him fully. “We have information on the shadows <em>now</em>?!”</p>
<p>“Hm? Do you have a problem?”</p>
<p>“<em>Yes</em>, I have a problem!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sanji-kun,” said Nami, holding up her hand. Blessedly, he calmed down. “Not now. We need to prioritize.”</p>
<p>The cook looked trapped between wanting to kick Zoro but also obey Nami’s every command, and somehow the latter won out, which just left him glaring at Zoro venomously. It didn’t matter, they would get his shadow back. Then Zoro could shake the annoying guilty feeling that had latched onto him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fine,” said the cook, with a hint in his voice that said this absolutely wasn’t over. Which, fine by Zoro. Maybe he’d stop aggravating him.</p>
<p>“But, how did you find out about the zombie’s weakness?”</p>
<p>“Well,” said Franky. “We owe it all to that bones guy. I know I rejected him when he came on board, but… he’s got an iron backbone. Truly a man.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And so, Franky told them. How he’d asked Brook, who by any measurement had lost so much, how he’d asked a question that really only someone like Franky would ask to begin with.</p>
<p>How Brook had lived, alone and trapped and without any hope for the future.</p>
<p>And Zoro knew of the promise Brook had made, but it was still such a long time. Fifty years. Made a mere three years in the past look like nothing at all. Made Zoro grateful, at least, that he had the chance to try again. Have something left of what he’d lost.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And another similar promise. That Luffy, with his widening eyes, was remembering now.</p>
<p>“Laboon?!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Up next: Zoro gets a sword and runs into an old friend</p>
<p>Hoped you liked this one! The crew is *so* close to figuring it out. If you have any theories on how it's going to down, I'd loooooove to hear them :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“So, what’s so important about this swordfight?” asked Franky. “I mean, I’m all for helping the guy out, but—”</p>
<p>“Less about the swordfight,” said Zoro. “More about the sword.”</p>
<p>“What, don’t you already have three—”<br/>“It’s a good sword,” said Zoro, rolling his eyes. “And I’m going to earn it, so you’d better stay out of my way—”</p>
<p>“Wouldn’t dream of interfering!” said Usopp cheerfully, while Chopper nodded fervently. Zoro was 99% sure they’d only come with him because they thought his ‘future-predicting’ ability would steer them away from danger.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luffy, Nami, and Usopp in turns explained their encounter with the whale Laboon to Robin, Chopper, and Franky, and the cook was still glowering.</p>
<p>Zoro could be mature. He was two years older, wasn’t he?</p>
<p>“Hey,” he said, getting closer while keeping his voice low. “I’m sorry. About not getting to you in time with your shadow.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re sorry?!” the cook hissed, mainly because Nami was likely to be mad at both of them if they ruined a moment like this. “Oh, that’s rich. Like it wasn’t on purpose.”</p>
<p>Zoro’s blood went hot. “<em>What?!</em>”</p>
<p>“Playing dumb doesn’t suit you, asshole. We all <em>know</em> you’ve got some shitty fortunetelling ability, ‘course you can’t be bothered to actually <em>tell</em> anyone about it—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s not it,” said Zoro, who despite everything didn’t think the dumb cook thought he’d <em>wanted</em> his shadow to get stolen. Like, even from the most pragmatic sense, it just made their job harder, right? “I’m not a <em>fortuneteller.</em>”</p>
<p>“Stop trying to deny it!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not!” Zoro glanced back over at the others, still properly listening to the story of Laboon. “Look, I promised Nami that I’d lay it out clear when this is over. But it’s not over.”</p>
<p>“I don’t need you to make anything clear,” snapped the cook childishly. “I understand exactly what you’re doing.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro closed his eyes and made himself take a steadying breath. Otherwise, he was going to push the cook off the ship, and then that would be a massive pain in the ass. “You really don’t,” he said instead. “You think I wanted you to have your shadow stolen? It’s a super shitty feeling, and I don’t actually hate you, you know.”</p>
<p>The cook’s eyes narrowed. “What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“You’re going to make me repeat it? I don’t hate—”</p>
<p>“No,” said the cook. “You said it’s a super shitty feeling, you don’t even <em>know</em> what it feels like you asshole, haven’t even seen that fucker Moria.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was caught between arguing that uh, yes he did, and keeping it together until they got through the rest of the island. “Yeah, yeah, will you just believe me? I didn’t want your shadow stolen, okay?”</p>
<p>The cook frowned, still clearly annoyed, but Zoro could live with that. What was making him more nervous than anything was that things would go wrong against Kuma, and Zoro wasn’t willing to mess that up. No matter what.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky let out a sob. “I love that whale and that bag of bones, dammit!”</p>
<p>“I’m so excited!” Luffy threw his hands up, and Zoro dragged himself back to the conversation. “He’s a skeleton! He has an afro! He’s a musician! <em>And</em> he’s friends with Laboon!” He grinned, wide and toothy. “He’s definitely joining the crew now! Anyone have any objections?”</p>
<p>Robin giggled. “Would you change your mind if we did?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Definitely not. Franky and Chopper were both crying loudly as Usopp made a declaration in favor of helping Brook see Laboon again. The cook sighed, and even Nami looked happy to have him on board. Although at this point, Zoro wasn’t sure what they were going to do next, seeing as they didn’t need to split up to <em>save</em> Nami anymore.</p>
<p>That could be a point in his favor. A completely, unintended point in his favor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, we need to get back three shadows,” said Nami, holding up her fingers. “Sanji-kun’s, Luffy’s, and the skeleton. We have until sunrise. And we know now that salt can be used as a weakness. Anything we’re missing?”</p>
<p>She directed this towards Robin, which made sense, and Zoro, which was just annoying at this point. He sighed. “I actually have a swordfight I need to get to,” he said. Might as well milk it. “So, if we could hurry this up.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The reactions were mixed, but Nami was rolling her eyes and Luffy was laughing, so maybe that was good enough. “A swordfight,” she said, deadpan.</p>
<p>“Brook’s fighting the zombie with his shadow,” he said. “And there’s a sword I’m interested in.”</p>
<p>He smiled, low and sinister, at the thought. A good fight was exactly what he needed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wonderful,” said Nami dryly. “Finding Brook does seem like a good idea, though. Not like you can alone either.”</p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>where</em> were you trying to go when we ran into each other?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were glowering at each other, and Luffy was still laughing. “Luffy’s shadow is a real monster, though,” said Chopper nervously. “He’s <em>huge</em>!”</p>
<p>“And that’s not the only issue!” added Usopp. “He’s got <em>your</em> shadow, too—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It doesn’t matter,” cut in Zoro, watching as Chopper was panicking more. “We’ll have to take him down no matter how big he is or how strong he is.”</p>
<p>Luffy was nodding slowly. “And then our zombies don’t really matter.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What do you mean?” the cook asked, looking down at his feet. “If we don’t get them back, we’ll never be able to live under the sun again.”</p>
<p>He sounded pained. Zoro pointedly ignored any feelings of guilt.</p>
<p>“I know,” said Luffy. “But remember what the old guy said? If we take out Moria, then everyone gets their shadows back!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This didn’t appear to make anyone look calmer. “He’s cutting right to the heart of the problem again,” muttered the cook.</p>
<p>“And isn’t Moria at the top of these stairs?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky snorted. “Don’t ask Zoro!”</p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They split up. Zoro wasn’t paying attention to where everyone was going and who they would run into (now that Nami was back, enough had changed that he really wasn’t sure), and his only focus was Shusui anyway. He’d been so happy saving Yubashiri, but he’d spent more time with Shusui, finding it such a natural fit to his fighting style.</p>
<p>It would be good to hold that sword again.</p>
<p>And he was pretty sure that Brook was currently fighting Ryuma, which was why he wanted to just go one ahead and track Brook down using Haki, but <em>apparently</em> he was going to get <em>lost</em>, so he was forced to stick with the others, grumbling about it loudly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You bring this on yourself, you know,” said Usopp conversationally. “If you have some special magic fortunetelling, shouldn’t you be better at directions?”</p>
<p>Zoro closed his eyes and counted to five. “I am <em>not</em> a fortuneteller.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sure,” said Usopp. “Are we really going to make it all the way down to Fishman Island after this? I think Sanji might have a heart attack.”</p>
<p>“Or lose all his blood through nosebleeds,” muttered Zoro, which made Franky cackle with laughter and Usopp stare at him suspiciously.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you serious?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know, am I?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is <em>super</em> fun,” said Franky. “Do you have a crystal ball? I could’ve made you a room with all the right get up if I knew, ya know. Big curtains, smoke machines, a nice circular table.”</p>
<p>Zoro just didn’t know how to respond to that. “No crystal ball,” he said, wondering where <em>that</em> was coming from. Sure he’d let on a few more things than made sense, but they were all acting like he was some sort of <em>prophet</em>. Which, just, no.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was with Nami and Robin, loudly daring anyone to dispute that (Zoro almost had, just to be contrary, but he wasn’t in the mood), and Luffy as well, leaving Zoro, Usopp, Franky, and Chopper together headed towards… well, hopefully headed towards Brook, and maybe more zombies to fight.</p>
<p>Maybe or maybe not Perona. He wasn’t sure if it’d be a good thing or not.</p>
<p>“Zoro just knows everything,” said Chopper solemnly and reverentially. Zoro wanted just a little bit to hit his head against a wall, telling himself later, later, like all of them on the ship hadn’t miraculously (almost) figured it out already.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Kuma, he told themselves. They couldn’t know that what was going to happen with Kuma was almost certainly going to happen again. He had to act surprised, act like it was the result of making too many changes, even though the thought of seeing Kuma made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.</p>
<p>Since when had he been afraid of a little pain?</p>
<p>(A lot of pain.)</p>
<p>(Greater fear – Luffy finding out. Must be avoided.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, what’s so important about this swordfight?” asked Franky. “I mean, I’m all for helping the guy out, but—”</p>
<p>“Less about the swordfight,” said Zoro. “More about the sword.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What, don’t you already have <em>three</em>—”</p>
<p>“It’s a good sword,” said Zoro, rolling his eyes. “And I’m going to earn it, so you’d better stay out of my way—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wouldn’t dream of interfering!” said Usopp cheerfully, while Chopper nodded fervently. Zoro was 99% sure they’d only come with him because they thought his ‘future-predicting’ ability would steer them away from danger.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe it would, except Zoro had the tendency to be in dangerous situations whether he saw them coming or not. He and Luffy shared this, which was one of the reasons Nami, Robin, <em>and</em> the cook had all gone with him. The more <em>logical</em> crewmembers, which was F-A-L-S-E, and Robin was never very interested in changing Luffy’s mind to begin with.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is Luffy going to be okay against another Shichibukai?” Chopper sounded more worried now, as they got closer to where Franky thought Brook was. “Crocodile nearly killed him!”</p>
<p>He was looking at Zoro pleadingly, and Zoro rolled his eyes. “Have some faith in people,” he said. “But we can’t underestimate our opponents.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Maybe that’s why he always sounds so cryptic,” whispered Usopp, loudly. “Prophets can only speak in riddles, you know.”</p>
<p>“Eh?! Really?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky laughed, and Zoro bit back another groan. At least he knew that he had made the right decision, putting it off. Because they were treating him differently, looking at him <em>knowingly</em>, which was frustrating and a little embarrassing and made something like loneliness clench in his chest and <em>pull</em>.</p>
<p>Which was silly. He’d been really alone before, stranded-in-the-ocean alone and wandering-dojos alone, and this was nothing like that but almost worse at the same time. He didn’t know if the truth was better or worse. Would they be upset? That he hadn’t prevented enough grief?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>‘I tried,’ he thought, thinking about how he’d tried to switch with Usopp. ‘It was important,’ he thought, thinking about standing against the world government with no fear.</p>
<p>It was also maybe a little selfish. For this crew to be just as similar to his crew as possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They made it to the castle, and Zoro was beginning to sense the faint presence of someone very familiar. Figured, they would run into her. One of the first presences he’d felt when learning to use Observation Haki. He’d spent more time with Perona than anyone on Sunny, which was frankly ridiculous, and as <em>annoying</em> as she could be, she was also his friend.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well, right now she wasn’t. Which was part of the problem. Zoro sighed and held up his hand towards the others, mostly Franky, who was combing his hair for some damn reason.</p>
<p>“Be careful,” he said quietly, keeping an eye out for the shitty hollows. He couldn’t prevent himself from falling victim to them. Not when he believed so resolutely in his own strength. There were times, on Mihawk’s island, when he felt so horribly alone and <em>tired</em> that they didn’t work as well. They rang more truthfully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Perona was always super nice to him when that happened. It made it a little easier. He wasn’t sure that it would feel easier now, not when time had passed but also time <em>hadn’t</em> passed, and it wasn’t exactly like he had a good label for what she meant to him (not that she <em>meant</em> anything) anyway.</p>
<p>“What’s with this room?” asked Usopp, looking around more nervously now. Perona did always have such girly taste. Zoro was absolutely not going to get sentimental about this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Horohorohorohoro!”</p>
<p>Franky and Chopper tensed, Usopp stepped back several feet, and Zoro willed himself to stay calm, ignoring how strange his life had become. He’d forgotten about the pigtails. Scratch that, had he even <em>faced</em> her the last time?</p>
<p>“You already know how terrifying my ghosts can be,” she said, sounding ever bit like the princess she imagined herself to be. The ghosts danced around them, and Zoro watched them carefully. “They make the heart feel hollow.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Heart feel hollow?!” shrieked Chopper and Usopp, and funnily enough Zoro could’ve sworn the cook had ended up with them somehow the last time. It didn’t matter. Did it?</p>
<p>“Hello, Perona,” he said instead, turning and facing her. She started, scrunching up her nose to try to recognize him. Except, she wouldn’t. Because they hadn’t met yet. Jesus, his life was fucking weird. “Good to see you again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp ended up being the one to fight Perona, because <em>apparently</em> the hollows didn’t affect him, and as easy as it was for Zoro to freak Perona out, he was secretly relieved to not have to fight her, because what the hell would <em>that </em>even look like. As a side note, Zoro was definitely going to talk to Usopp about his blatant self-esteem issues when this was all over, Jesus.</p>
<p>But he trusted him to take care of her, probably without killing her, and he had a sword to get to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That ghost girl was scary!” wailed Chopper as they ran towards the mansion. “I hope Usopp’s okay!</p>
<p>“Maybe Sogeking will help him out,” said Franky, grinning.</p>
<p>“SOGEKING’S ON THIS ISLAND?! ZORO?!”</p>
<p>Zoro refused to be a part of that conversation. “Don’t worry about Usopp, let’s just catch up to where Brook is.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The mansion was trembling, probably because stupid Oars was just walking around (<em>how</em> much of this could’ve been prevented if he’d just kept them away from Luffy’s shadow?!), but they finally skidded into the room with Brook.</p>
<p>He was lying on the ground, panting, and Zoro saw a familiar red and black blade and couldn’t help but grin a little.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ahh! You’re injured!” Chopper ran around the small room. “We need a medic! An orthopedic doctor!” Then, like clockwork—“Ah wait! That’s me! But how can I check for vital signs on a skeleton?!”</p>
<p>Brook stared at them. “But, why are you here?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wado Ichimonji met Shusui. “Are you the legendary samurai who once slayed a dragon?” asked Zoro calmly, even as the other three flinched from the sudden movement and speed.</p>
<p>He pushed, and Ryuma stepped backwards, eyeing him carefully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Amazing,” whispered Brook. “Who is he?”</p>
<p>“The <em>super</em> aggressive swordsman who practices Three Sword Style,” said Franky. “He’s damn strong.”</p>
<p>“And a fortuneteller!” piped up Chopper who was examining Brook’s bones with absolute fascination.</p>
<p>For the love of…</p>
<p>“A fortuneteller? How refreshing!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s still in denial about that,” said Franky conversationally. “But if your pride will stand for it, I bet he’d recover your shadow for you. What do you say?”</p>
<p>Brook was always honorable but never too proud to accept help. Zoro could feel the hope springing up from him. “My shadow? Really? Oh, please do!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That looks like a nice sword,” said Zoro, preparing himself. Maybe Franky, Chopper, and Brook could sense that he was planning to absolutely fuck shit up, because they backed away. Zoro had some steam to let out, and this was going to feel good.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ryuma was absolutely a monster of an opponent, strong and skilled, but it would be a completely different story if he were alive. Zoro almost wished he’d had the opportunity to fight the man then.</p>
<p>They clashed like thunder, ripping apart the building, sending the others away with loud shrieks and screams. There was nothing else but the fight for electrifying minutes; no Moria, no Kuma, no Oars, no zombies, just <em>blades</em>, the intoxicating sound of steel on steel. Blood roared in his ears, every stroke was one aimed for <em>death</em>, a dangerous dance between the two of them that moved from inside to outside as walls meant nothing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Absolutely exhilarating. Exactly what Zoro was probably missing from Wano.</p>
<p>Zoro didn’t think about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Getting slammed into rock was not ideal, but stayed conscious, staring forward as his attack hit and Ryuma started burn blue flames. “Once, a legendary samurai wielded the great sword Shusui. I am sure it would be happy to have you as its master.”</p>
<p>Shusui fell towards him, and Zoro caught the sword without looking. He turned to look directly at the zombie. “One day,” he said. “I will return this sword where it rightfully belongs. It will rest beside you again.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could feel the surprise, and something that might’ve been gratitude, before the shadow left his body and finally returned to its place underneath Brook where it belonged. The skeleton let out a cry of joy, and Zoro picked up his sword. It felt good.</p>
<p>“My shadow!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro, that was incredible!” Chopper’s eyes were huge. Zoro wasn’t sure where he was <em>supposed</em> to be, but apparently he’d given up on any timeline nonsense. “You’re so strong!”</p>
<p>Brook made a joke about the emotions in his veins that only ran ‘bone deep.’ Franky laughed. Chopper was a pendulum of praise and the intense desire to stick a thermometer down Zoro’s throat for some reason—did it look like he had a <em>fever</em>? And Zoro thought, this is okay.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the <em>fuck</em> is that thing?!”</p>
<p>It’s the cook’s voice, loud and bellowing across the stretch of land that will soon become a battlefield, and Zoro sighs, loudly. He <em>really</em> should’ve prioritized this from the beginning.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“IT’S LUFFY’S ZOMBIE!”</p>
<p>“<em>THAT’S </em>HIS ZOMBIE?!”</p>
<p>Nami was trembling, her eyes wide and staring upward. Franky looked disturbed. Robin frowned, a bead of sweat rolling down her face, and the cook looked taken aback. Chopper and Usopp had already seen the giant, and then Zoro…well, he knew.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Had he really been that <em>big</em>?)</p>
<p>“Note to self,” muttered Zoro, ignoring the couple of looks sent his way. If by some fucked up chance of fate he ever had to do this <em>again</em>, he’d hold Luffy down himself if he had to. Or grab Brook, fight Ryuma, and then just <em>go</em>, leaving the dreary haunted ship to float.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you have like, tarot cards or something that’ll predict what we should do next?”</p>
<p>Zoro twitched, thinking of one certain supernova, and he rolled his eyes. “Dunno what you’re talking about,” he said. “All I see is some giant zombie that needs to be taken down a peg or two.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, we’ll be able to do it?” Chopper broke in, sounding rushed, and Zoro really wasn’t sure if he was going to laugh or hit something, because shouldn’t they have some kind of faith in themselves, some kind of faith in <em>him</em>, without thinking he was using a fucking crystal ball?</p>
<p>If he told them to believe in themselves, they’d get complacent. If he told them not to underestimate an enemy, they shit their pants. <em>Why</em> was this so <em>hard</em>—</p>
<p>“Oi!” The cook glared down at Chopper and Usopp. “What the hell are you doing?! Asking questions like that when we have to fight?! You think the future is some shitty thing set in stone that this moron can see?! That doesn’t mean <em>shit</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He glared in Zoro’s direction, and Zoro wasn’t really sure whether that was meant to get a rise out of him or not (it <em>definitely</em> made the others stop, though) (and he wasn’t seeing the future <em>anyway</em>), but weirdly enough, it was exactly what he needed to hear.</p>
<p>Strange, unwelcome <em>relief</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh,” the beast growled, looking at his arm. It rumbled through all of them as he looked at the cook after his outburst. “This wanted poster looks just like you.”</p>
<p>“WHAT LOOKS THE SAME?!” he yelled, as Usopp and Chopper both screeched “WHAT?!” behind them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” asked Oars. “Your whole face.”</p>
<p>“NO IT DOESN’T!”</p>
<p>“This is ridiculous,” moaned Nami. “I can’t believe he has our wanted—<em>Zoro</em>, stop <em>laughing</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro really couldn’t help it. Not with the sheer insanity that was time travel to begin with coupled with the fact that said cook had been one on hand insulting him and on the other hand proving that he wasn’t going to treat him any differently, and then add in this stupid fucking zombie which was just too big to even <em>exist</em>, and Zoro might also be afraid because he didn’t like getting thrown into cement walls, but also excited because it was his first fight with Shusui, and then add to it the cook’s horrifyingly bad wanted poster that was saving his life.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Very, very funny. The cook might kill him. Or Oars, at this point, honestly.</p>
<p>“GOMU GOMU NO—</p>
<p>And Zoro did not want to wait around too long to hear what was going to come next.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is….” Usopp panted. “Impossible.”</p>
<p>“Ow….” Nami gingerly touched her head, swollen and red from them all somehow managing to get slammed by part of the mansion. Again. Zoro was pretty sure something was broken.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not impossible,” said Zoro. “Just very very difficult.”</p>
<p>“That is <em>not</em> helpful.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How <em>had</em> they defeated Oars the last time? Besides giving it literally everything they had? Everyone was bruised and bleeding, covered in dust and debris, and Zoro didn’t think he was bad at coming up strategies but there was a difference between his own battle tactics and trying to remember what eight people were capable of over two years in the past.</p>
<p>But there was no debate what kind of opponent Oars was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They’d all just done their most powerful combination of attacks—twisting him up and slamming him into the cement. It wouldn’t be enough, and they were already tired. <em>Zoro</em> was already tired. But…</p>
<p>“Ah! I’m stuck!” Oars yelped. “My horns!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro could feel everyone’s anger and frustration shift. Annoyance at their shadows being taken, the havoc being wrecked, this stupid giant with their captain’s shadow, and someone or maybe a few people chuckled, low and frightening.</p>
<p>Zoro smiled and did not resist the urge to lick his sword. It suited the vibe too well.</p>
<p>“You can’t move, eh?” Franky lifted up his sunglasses. Chopper laughed menacingly. They walked towards Oars, expressions dark and challenging, and proceeded to beat the shit out of him. It wouldn’t last, but it felt, to quote Franky, <em>super</em> good.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>you guys know what's up next :) </p>
<p>Hearing all your thoughts and takeaways and guesses has been so much fun!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“It’s nearly dawn!”<br/>“We’re as good as dead!”</p>
<p>Luffy frowned, because he’d heard that before, hadn’t he? All these people giving up already. Didn’t they want to leave? Didn’t they want their shadows back?</p>
<p>There were a lot of words Luffy didn’t like: vegetarian, weak, meatless, impossible…but hopeless was definitely on there too, as someone screamed to the wind how “unfair” it all was. That was silly. Life wasn’t supposed to be fair or unfair, and neither was being a pirate. It just was.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Something Franky was certain of: This fight was not going well.</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>It’s not like that had ever stopped him before. Franky was really bad at giving up, even when the stakes <em>weren’t</em> so momentously large aka the stakes were actually right in front of them, and its name was Oars and it wanted to be King of the Pirates and also kill them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Had Franky mentioned the fight wasn’t going well?</p>
<p>He sort of thought he knew what he was getting himself into, given that he’d fought alongside the monstrous Straw Hat crew on Enies Lobby, but apparently this was like, a Thing. Getting into trouble. Franky did not mind—in fact, he thoroughly enjoyed getting into trouble, but his kind of trouble typically leaned towards blackmail and extortion or building weapons, not… fighting zombies and Shichibukai.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Franky was nothing if not adaptable, and here they were, fighting against this red demon thing, which was now apparently being controlled by some guy that looked like a giant onion, and he probably should’ve guessed being on the crew with the maniac who’d declared war on the government would’ve led to things like this, but really he didn’t.</p>
<p>Actually, he biggest clue probably should’ve been how he was <em>recruited</em>. Damn, Nico Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was Luffy, the king of the maniacs, currently still missing; Zoro, the fight-with-a-sword-in-his-mouth maniac who could also see the future; Sanji, the horniest fucker Franky had <em>ever</em> met (really, it made <em>Franky’s</em> perverted tendencies null by comparison); the ball crusher herself; the navigator who valued finding treasure above her own life; <em>Sogeking</em>; and Chopper, who Franky probably would’ve underestimated if Franky hadn’t been the one to see him <em>transform</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky was used to being the weird guy. Here he was, dare he say it, almost <em>normal</em>.</p>
<p>He had to hand it to Roronoa—the guy was a <em>beast</em>, moving faster than everyone else combined and refusing to let himself look intimidated even when their plans didn’t work. Also, Franky could’ve <em>sworn</em> that not all three of his swords were black, but they definitely were now, cutting and slicing with more force than should’ve been possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They attacked, sending him down, and Oars just got back up again. Moria was controlling him now, warping the shadow and allowing Oars to <em>stretch</em> which just made things so much worse. Attack and up again, and how were they supposed to—</p>
<p>Then Franky got knocked unconscious, so he wasn’t super sure what was going on, but he did briefly hallucinate seeing Zoro with nine heads (as <em>if</em>) and Luffy with bulked up blue skin, and then he was out. The rock and cement were just <em>so</em> comfortable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something Usopp was certain of: He was going to die.</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>He didn’t! Which was a relief. And also surprising, because Zoro hadn’t been close enough, and Nami couldn’t move fast enough, and everyone else was—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh. Holy <em>shit</em> what holding him?!</p>
<p>“Who are you?” asked Oars, and Usopp hated that it almost sounded like Luffy, hated that these attacks were being used against them but they weren’t any use, hated that even Zoro just kept getting hit, but then the blue thing holding them (Them? Oh, Nami and Zoro were there too!) <em>spoke</em> and—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Monkey D. Luffy.”</p>
<p><em>Holy shit</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was blue and too big and speaking too slowly, like the words just couldn’t make it out of his mouth fast enough, and it <em>looked</em> like Luffy in a way, but he wasn’t acting like Luffy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the fuck,” muttered Zoro, which was always nerve-wracking to hear.</p>
<p>“L-L-Luffy?!” Nami tensed as he set them down, sending a glare in Oar’s direction. Moria was telling him it didn’t matter. He was going to crush them anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Get back,” Luffy ordered, tense and hard to listen to.</p>
<p>“Get back?!” Usopp demanded. “Luffy, do you realize what that is?! What it’s capable of?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro grabbed his shoulder and pulled him and Nami back. “If he wants us to stay out of his way, let’s stay out of his way,” he said, tersely, eyeing Luffy’s strange body with an expression that was hard to read.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But—”</p>
<p>“GOMU GOMU NO RIFLE!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The awful, warped zombie arm was coming towards them, they had to move they had to <em>run</em>, but Luffy did not run or move and held his arm out and it…</p>
<p>Stopped.</p>
<p>What the <em>fuck</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp couldn’t <em>breathe</em>, there was literally no way—“I am the one and only Luffy!” Luffy yelled, and he punched Oars directly, sending him flying across the rubble and destroyed battlefield. Could he be dreaming? There was no <em>possible</em> way—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shit,” said Zoro, and he looked a little surprised but also…proud? Nami looked like she’d been the one punched in the face. “And to think I keep underestimating him.”</p>
<p>Underestimating and Luffy were two words Usopp never thought he’d hear Zoro of all people use in the same sentence, but here they were.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s going on?” whispered Nami. “How is that…how is he…?”</p>
<p>Usopp could’ve sworn Zoro’s first mumble was “so <em>that’s</em> what happened”, but then he shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said warily.</p>
<p>Luffy sprung forward, all yells and blue punches, and Usopp wondered if they actually might make it out of here alive.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something Nami was certain of: Her captain was a <em>demon</em>, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>After abandoning them all on some wild Moria goose chase? Yeah, he needed to make up for that a little bit, and if it came in the form of some hulking blue creature that had apparently ingested a hundred shadows for a quick power boost? Well, that was very typically Luffy too, wasn’t it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now he was on the ground, after flinging Oars around like some kind of doll, and he looked so small when he was passed out. Nami couldn’t tell what Zoro was thinking as they rushed over towards him, except that he seemed just as surprised and worried as the rest of them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy! Are you okay?!”</p>
<p>Luffy didn’t respond, just remained completely still on the ground. He looked exhausted. Nami was pretty sure just having one’s shadow <em>cut</em> was traumatizing enough, she couldn’t even imagine what one hundred shadows shoved into a person could do. Even someone like Luffy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She shouldn’t underestimate him, but she did. Because of <em>course</em> Luffy’s own shadow was strong enough to bring Oars back to his feet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“God dammit,” Zoro hissed, looking annoyed where Nami just felt <em>fear</em>. “We have to give it another go.”</p>
<p>Zoro was a demon, too. Nami wouldn’t ever forget that. And if <em>they</em> could be that strong, standing up after taking attacks like that, then dammit Nami would, too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy hit rock with his fist, eyes glaring upward at Oars. “Robin!” he stated, and Robin was standing now. “I need a lift.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” said Robin, and Nami knew what she needed to do, too. They would all take down Oars <em>together</em>, and Moria too, and get off this stupid ship/island with some treasure. In that order.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All the other pirate crew were so surprised they hadn’t run. Hmph, as <em>if</em>.</p>
<p>Usopp and Franky had run off in one direction, Sanji and Chopper in another, and the rest of them stood proudly, facing down Oars.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey!” shouted Zoro. “Get out of our way!”</p>
<p>The worn-out group of pirates started to run, yelling “It’s our pleasure!” as they did.</p>
<p>“The weather forecast,” said Nami. “Is <em>rain</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The water was flooding around Oars’ feet now, and Franky and Usopp cranked the makeshift plumbing tube into a blast of cold air that froze him to the ground. Then there was Sanji-kun, coming from the sky and knocking the rudder chain around the giant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Looking good, Sanji!” yelled Chopper. “Oars’ back is completely straight!”</p>
<p>And then Luffy, unable-to-walk-by-himself Luffy, was flying down, his arms extended and enlarged behind him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s got your shadow! Settle the score!”</p>
<p>“Get him, Luffy!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A weakness of zombies is their inability to perceive damage,” Robin’s eyes flashed. “Until it’s too late.”</p>
<p>“GOMU GOMU NO—” And that was the voice that was supposed to be shouting it, wasn’t it? “GIANT BAZOOKA!”</p>
<p>Oars’ spine <em>shattered</em>. Hell yeah.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something Luffy was certain of: He was tired.</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>There was a stupid, bloated giant onion that was coughing and sputtering about how his crew was <em>weak</em> and how the New World would kill them, and Luffy didn’t remember what the New World was supposed to be, but Moria’s words opened up rage.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His crew was <em>strong</em>. Hadn’t they proved that?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Come to me! All of the shadows of Thriller Bark!” He started counting, which might have intimidated Luffy, except Luffy didn’t intimidate easily and he was too angry at the thought of losing his crew to be afraid of this swollen, snarling onion.</p>
<p><em>Ugly </em>onion.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Luffy was still shrunken, which wasn’t great, and he was still missing his shadow, but it wasn’t like they could give up <em>now</em>. He could hear the others talking, taking in the sheer size (and ugliness), but from Zoro he just heard a sigh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy wondered if this was how it went before. He hadn’t asked, because what was the fun in <em>that</em>, but this whole ship/island thing was starting to get on his nerves. Finally, his limbs returned to their normal size.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s nearly dawn!”</p>
<p>“We’re as good as dead!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy frowned, because he’d heard that before, hadn’t he? All these people giving up already. Didn’t they want to leave? Didn’t they want their shadows back?</p>
<p>There were a lot of words Luffy didn’t like: vegetarian, weak, meatless, impossible…but hopeless was definitely on there too, as someone screamed to the wind how “unfair” it all was. That was silly. Life wasn’t supposed to be fair or unfair, and neither was being a pirate. It just was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t think he has control of the shadows,” said Zoro quietly, his face firm and determined.</p>
<p>Robin was beside him and nodded. “It looks like anger and foolish pride caused him to overestimate himself.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The onion did look angry. It was his own fault for trying to capture them and steal their shadows, wasn’t it? “Hey guys,” he said, and his voice reached the rest of the crew. “We’re out of time. I’m going to push myself a bit, if you can take care of the rest.”</p>
<p>Luffy didn’t like saying things like that, but he could feel his body slowly in mutiny, hungry and weakened and in pain, and Luffy <em>could</em> ignore those things for a little, but when he went all out it meant he couldn’t pick up the pieces. But that’s why he had such an awesome crew. He trusted them to do that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay! You can count on us!”</p>
<p>‘Send him flying!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy felt the steam rise off his skin, his blood vessels pumping, and Gear Second was really cool and made him stronger but it was also probably killing him a little. Consequences later, Luffy thought, and he plowed into the onion’s super puffed up stomach. “Jet Bazooka!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hit, hit, hit. That’s all that mattered. He couldn’t have explained it the way Usopp or Robin could, couldn’t exactly put his finger on <em>why</em> the black streams of shadow were being released, but it didn’t matter because they <em>were</em> and Luffy kept hitting, even when Moria hit him back <em>hard</em>, even when Moria kept stomping like some stupid giant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy was rubber, after all.</p>
<p>He thought saying might have made his nakama laugh, even as the onion got angrier and angrier. But Luffy was angry too, and he bit his thumb again, even though he definitely remembered what happened last time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Didn’t matter. He thought he heard Chopper fussing, but he could be fussed at later. When everyone was safe.</p>
<p>“I have something I want to say to my shadow, too!” He shouted, and everything hurt, and he could barely see, but he knew just one more hit would do it <em>knew</em> Moria would fall. “If you want to be King of the Pirates, you’d better stick with me!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy hit, heard the stone break and his enemy scream, and then everything started to fade. But it was okay now. He would heal. Everyone would be safe.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something Robin was certain of: She did <em>not</em> enjoy her shadow-less flesh burning into ash and vanishing into the bleak dawn above Thriller Bark.</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>She did not believe the condition would be permanent. Although the look on the swordsman’s face had <em>almost</em> slipped into panic, but Robin believed that was for another reason.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something else Robin was certain of: Zoro was not seeing the future. The answer was almost <em>more</em> mundane, but it made much more sense, and Robin was sure that he felt some unnecessary guilt for avoiding having his own shadow taken when she, Sanji, and Luffy did not.</p>
<p>But playing around in the past must be complicated. Or course, Zoro hadn’t confirmed this. But Robin guessed that he would, and he was just unwilling to reveal or change too much.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If Robin were in his shoes, she would likely be equally as wary. To play things as exact as possible, or to make several changes without knowing the consequences? It was truly a difficult problem to solve.</p>
<p>Her skin stopped burning. Her shadow returned. “Thank goodness,” she said. “For a second I thought I was going to go to heaven.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sounds good to me!” The charming cook chirped. “I’d go to heaven if it were by your side, Robin-chwan!”</p>
<p>He was really too kind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That was so scary!” Nami and Chopper moaned, sliding down onto the rubble.</p>
<p>The relief was palpable. They all sat around Luffy, knocked completely unconscious by his attacks, and felt the morning sun warm and gentle. “Everything strange on this island was just a ruse put on by Moria. It’s like waking up from a bad nightmare. What shitty haunted mansion.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t you think Luffy’s new fighting style is too hard on his body?” asked Usopp quietly. “If we keep meeting stronger enemies, he’s going to keep pushing himself, isn’t he?”</p>
<p>He posed the question to Zoro, who scowled. “Why are you asking me?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, come on,” said Sanji, sitting down tiredly. “Just say it already. It’s like, the worst kept secret ever.”</p>
<p>“That’s right,” said Nami. “You promised, after it was all over.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin watched Zoro’s expression and realized something. He wasn’t relaxed at all, the mask of calm was just that—fake. His hand was still rested on his sword, his eyes were fixed on the horizon, and there wasn’t exactly <em>fear</em> in his eyes, but determination.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Did I?” said Zoro vaguely, keeping his voice almost unnaturally even. Nami was about to yell something, but Robin held up her hand.</p>
<p>Now this was rather unacceptable. They should be privy to important warnings. “I believe, Nami-san,” she said, and all their heads turned to her. “That he means that this is not over. There is another threat approaching, isn’t there?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?!” Chopper started, and Franky narrowed his eyes. Usopp jumped, and Sanji scowled, and Nami inhaled sharply, and Zoro’s expression hardly faltered.</p>
<p>“You can think whatever you want,” he said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shitty mosshead, what’s gonna happen?!”</p>
<p>“Zoro!” wailed Usopp. “If you know something you have to—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>“I see</em>.”</p>
<p>It was a cold voice that made them all stop. The celebrations of the other pirate group and the questions to Zoro died all in the same moment. Because standing above them, towering and shadowed, was Bartholomew Kuma.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The only drawing in the entire notebook, drawn with such harsh lines Robin imagined the pencil would’ve broken. An ominous warning, and she had forgotten about it.</p>
<p>“N-n-no way,” Nami went pale, staring at Zoro. “H-how—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s him!” gasped Franky, with the subtlety of a brick wall. Or perhaps a cyborg. “That’s the guy in Zoro’s n—”</p>
<p>He was hit by at least three different people, but the damage was done. “What?” asked Zoro, his voice low and dangerous. “You—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You were hiding stuff!” Sanji spit back. “You—”</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>I’m</em> hiding something? That’s really <em>funny</em>—”</p>
<p>It might be nice, to see them argue like this again, but where there hadn’t been fear before, there was now. Undeniable fear on Zoro’s face, his eyes darting back and forth. He took a step forward. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he said, and Sanji opened his mouth to say something back, but then, Kuma was beside them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“When did he—”</p>
<p>“Shit—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin stayed rooted in place and watched as Zoro slowly looked up at the Shichibukai. “I will start with you, Pirate Hunter,” said Kuma calmly, and Robin wasn’t sure what was coming, but she knew without a doubt that Zoro did. And he didn’t want them to know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is bad, Robin,” Nami whispered, sounding frantic. “How can we—”</p>
<p>“We’ll do everything we can,” said Robin calmly, though she did not feel calm. She had never seen Zoro look afraid before, and that fear could only mean they were all in trouble.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something Brook was certain of: Monkey D. Luffy was one of the strongest fighters he had ever seen, although he no longer had eyes (Yohohoho!)</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>He was also one of the most open-minded, honorable <em>men</em>, and Brook had only known him for a couple days. Less than that, maybe. But he’d proven himself a hundred times over, and this was a crew that had proven itself a hundred times over already. He so dearly hoped the offer would still stand. To sail under the sun with these wonderful, brave people by his side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So it was not even a question, not even something Brook could <em>consider</em>, not even knowing that it could mean dying again, when Kuma offered his <em>exchange</em>. Completely and utterly unthinkable. He could feel anger from the others, true unbridled anger.</p>
<p>Brook imagined that Straw Hat Luffy had done the same for them, time and time again. Proven his deep, unrelenting loyalty and determination. If Brook was enraged, then he could only guess how unforgivable the others saw this, too.</p>
<p>And so, he yelled in unison with them, the answer to Kuma’s <em>exchange.</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“NEVER!” Resounding, strangled yells and defiant screams, echoing over the broken wasteland of Thriller Bark. It tore at Brook’s chest, made him feel completely and resolutely <em>alive</em>, and it didn’t matter that they might be torn to shreds in that burning instance.</p>
<p>“What a shame,” said Kuma, and the world went white.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Something Brook became certain of: The Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro, was without a doubt, the most loyal man he ever met and would ever meet. He would never forget those screams, those throat-ripping, horrifying, nauseating screams as long as he lived. He would do whatever it took to be as honorable as the swordsman.</p>
<p>And as brave.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something Sanji was certain of: He was going to kill the stupid swordsman.</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>He couldn’t find him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji didn’t understand what had happened. There had been the appearance of Kuma, which apparently Zoro knew because of <em>course</em> he did, his strange and holy <em>shit</em> powers, the blinding white of the explosion, the fear and the rage and the <em>fear</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Sanji had woken up. He had an awful headache, several things were broken, but he woke up and the swordsman was standing, still fighting so Sanji had started to stand too, and Zoro had hit him, sending him back into the blackness before Sanji could curse him out.</p>
<p>Nothing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’d known Sanji was going to wake back up. And he’d knocked him unconscious. And it made him angry, but it also terrified him to his core, because sure the mosshead was stupid and coarse and rude and knew all of Sanji’s secrets and wasn’t telling them anything, but he knew Zoro wouldn’t knock him out for a single shitty good reason. It didn’t make sense.</p>
<p>And that strange betrayal was still in him, twitching as he woke up again. Anger. Fear. He was going to <em>kill</em> Zoro, except he didn’t know where he’d gone.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi! Is everyone still alive?!”</p>
<p>“He must’ve thought we all died in the attack!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji came to slowly, wincing in pain, and he heard <em>laughter</em>. Luffy’s laughter, bright and cheerful, and that didn’t make any fucking sense. The same lost expression was on Nami-san’s face, Franky asking what had gotten into him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Anger, fear.</p>
<p>Zoro’s swords.</p>
<p>Fear.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji started running, ignoring the confused calls behind him. It wasn’t just a bad feeling, it was a <em>what did you do what did you do what did you do</em> feeling that made him run faster, even though one of his legs (maybe both), were definitely broken. He needed to find him, had he gotten <em>thrown</em> this whole distance, why did he knock Sanji back unconscious he could’ve <em>helped</em>—</p>
<p>(Unless there was no need, a snarky thought pointed out. He’s been holding back his strength this whole time, why would now be any different? You’d just slow him down.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji pointedly chose to ignore that and kept going, until he saw a figure standing. White shirt. Stupid green hair. Thank God.</p>
<p>“Hey, you scared me,” said Sanji, making his way over. The rocks were crushed nearby, and some of the adrenaline left. “Where’d that stupid Warlord go?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then he saw it.</p>
<p>Zoro was standing but he was covered in blood, dripping from nearly everywhere, staining his clothes and hair and the ground around them and <em>shit</em>, it was completely surrounding them, harsh red on the rocks and grass. Sanji didn’t think a person could lose this amount of blood. He was standing, but—</p>
<p>“Where’d all this blood come from?” Sanji heard it in his voice, the panic. He couldn’t bring himself to care. “Are you even alive?! What the hell happened?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No—” Zoro’s voice was thick with pain and gruff, and he wasn’t even looking at Sanji. His eyes were completely glazed over, even as he stood with his arms crossed. “Nothing happened.”</p>
<p>What did he <em>do</em>?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s a fucking lie—” But then Zoro collapsed on him, like a puppet with its strings cut, completely limp. His breathing, ragged and shallow, was stuttering in and out, Sanji was terrified like he’d never been before, and then Zoro started <em>shaking</em>, seizing and not breathing, and Sanji couldn’t find a heartbeat for one horrifying second—</p>
<p>“CHOPPER!” Sanji screamed, as loud as he could with his own heartbeat racing wildly. Blood was getting into his hair, dripping onto his suit, and Zoro looked like a fucking corpse. “CHOPPER! LUFFY!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Something Chopper was certain of: Sanji, Zoro, and Luffy were never afraid.</p>
<p>But.</p>
<p>Sanji was screaming for him and Luffy, desperate and frantic and <em>terrified</em>, and that scared Chopper more than anything else. Luffy stopped dancing. Nami and Usopp froze. Robin frowned, Franky frowned, Brook’s face was still unreadable, and Sanji screamed again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper was already standing and started to run before he could think about it, before his brain could comprehend who was missing. Luffy ran after him, full of energy, and Chopper thought he might have heard the others start behind them, too.</p>
<p>Sanji wasn’t afraid of anything.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper smelled blood. Zoro’s blood. It was sort of a permanent scent, really, but this was stronger than Chopper had ever smelled before, and if he were any less of a medical professional, he would’ve fallen over in shock at the sight in front of him.</p>
<p>He didn’t fall. But he almost did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was slumped over Sanji, completely still, and blood was everywhere. Covering him, dripping onto Sanji, a furious stain on the ground with Zoro at the epicenter, and Chopper moved faster than he ever had before, transforming and pulling out his medical bag. “What happened?!”</p>
<p>“I don’t—” Sanji stuttered. Sanji never stuttered. “I just found—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Momentarily, Chopper threw away any of his own desperate fear, ignored the horrified noises of everyone behind him as they came onto the massacre. Zoro wasn’t his friend, wasn’t his nakama, he was a patient now. A patient who—his lungs had collapsed, quickly filling up with fluid, all of his ribs were broken, he needed a blood transfusion or fifteen, his arteries were nearly eviscerated, his arms and knees were dislocated—a patient who needed him, and Chopper steeled himself and cleared every thought from his brain as he focused on the heart and lungs first.</p>
<p>“Zoro!” Luffy yelled, panic and horror and <em>oh</em>—fear, and thankfully Chopper didn’t have to bark at him to get away, because Robin or Usopp or someone did, and someone was crying and someone else was comforting them, but Chopper didn’t check to see who.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper wasn’t afraid during surgeries, even emergency ones, <em>especially</em> emergency ones, because there was no room for fear. Kureha had made that abundantly clear, and then sailing with the crew had just reiterated that. No room for fear after Alabasta (broken bones, blood loss, effects of poison), Skypiea (broken bones, blood loss, electric burns), Water 7 (broken bones, blood loss, Luffy wasn’t invincible), and certainly no room for fear now.</p>
<p>That would come later. Along with a thousand questions as Chopper took in Zoro’s destroyed hands (Zoro doesn’t punch) and horribly mangled muscles (like they’d been stretched on a horrifying torture rack), but now it was chest tube, sterilization equipment, and thank god they kept enough Type XF blood hidden in the medical bay, hopefully it hadn’t been stolen, because Chopper was going to need a <em>lot</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He only briefly looked over towards Luffy and Sanji as he was barking out orders, getting set up to do the emergency operations here and now, and it was plain on their faces along with confusion. They were afraid.</p>
<p>Chopper would be too. Just not yet.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>Something Zoro was certain of: He’d make the same choice every time.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>well, things went more-or-less according to plan! at least, it seems that way :) would love to know your thoughts, especially on the nine-character POV style like this </p>
<p>Up next: Back on Wano, someone finally makes the connection, and something shifts</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>He hadn’t vanished. </p>
<p>As far as the others knew, Zoro had never left Wano. Because when Zoro had woken up on Alabasta, with memories that didn’t belong to him, and when those memories left him on Skypiea, they hadn’t vanished.</p>
<p>They’d woken up as Zoro on Wano. He’d somehow switched places with himself, and while Zoro had been reliving the islands of Paradise, that Zoro had been here, seriously misunderstanding things—</p>
<p>He hadn’t vanished. No one had vanished. He’d just switched places.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>WANO</strong>
</p>
<p>The day started out so <em>normally</em>, which was really how Nami should’ve known that things were about to get worse. It always seemed to happen to them like that.</p>
<p>As far as she could tell, Zoro had nearly returned to pre-attack strength, and he even wasn’t acting like a complete weirdo anymore. Still weird, but Nami could accept some level of weirdness. Law had another plan in place, they were planning to re-enter the shores of Wano <em>tonight</em>, and even though that made Nami nervous as hell, it was what they needed to do.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It would be <em>better</em>, of course, if the waters around Wano weren’t also trying to kill them with the same ferocity as the rest of the island, but it was the New World and Nami wasn’t really surprised. She also wasn’t really surprised when the ship <em>lurched</em> and Luffy, ever delicately perched on the lion head, toppled overboard.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Disappointed, maybe, but not surprised.</p>
<p>Jimbe was downstairs, and anyway they hadn’t had many opportunities for the newly-crowned fastest swimmer on board to jump in after Luffy, and Nami watched Sanji mutter something before taking off his jacket and diving in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Seconds later, Zoro ran up, wide-eyed and panicky, asking “if the cook had gone in.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Nami. “Luffy fell—”</p>
<p>She was <em>not</em> expecting Zoro to dive in after them, and the third splash of the morning attracted the attention of pretty much everyone else on board.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Please don’t tell me that <em>two</em> people fell in,” said Law gruffly, making a face. Nami was relatively sure that if Law ever fell overboard, he’d rather drown than have anyone come after him. What an interesting guy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, Sanji went in after Luffy but then Zoro did too. Maybe he thought Chopper fell or something.”</p>
<p>Law narrowed his eyes, and moments later, a sputtering trio appeared, Luffy still limp, Sanji looking incensed, and Zoro just looking deeply disoriented.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They made their way back on board and—wait, why was <em>Zoro</em> holding onto <em>Sanji</em>, too? It appeared Sanji wanted to know the answer to that question as well.</p>
<p>“<em>What</em> are you doing?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?!” Zoro shot back. “I’m trying to be <em>responsible</em>!”</p>
<p>“And I’m not responsible enough?!”</p>
<p>“Apparently not!” Zoro gestured wildly, water getting everywhere.</p>
<p>“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Sanji yelled, and <em>yeah</em>, pretty much the entire crew was looking at the spectacle now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp was standing next to her, Chopper munching on something beside him. “What’s going on <em>now</em>?”</p>
<p>“Uh, they both jumped in to get Luffy?” said Nami, rolling her eyes. “And now they’re arguing about it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Typical,” said Usopp. “At least they’re fighting again.”</p>
<p>“I never thought I’d miss it,” muttered Nami.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh? Oh, I’m on the ship again! Thanks!” Luffy shook the water off of him, apparently not noticing that Zoro and Sanji were still going at it.</p>
<p>“Why would you jump in <em>after</em> I did?!”</p>
<p>“Why <em>wouldn’t</em> I—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then Zoro stopped, a strange expression overtaking his face, and Nami was about to joke that he’d finally remembered that Sanji was a faster swimmer than he was, when Zoro clutched his chest, making an awful, wheezing noise, and then collapsed on the deck.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the hell?!”</p>
<p>“Zoro!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji was staring, gaping slightly, and Chopper ran over at let out a shriek. “He’s not breathing! His heart stopped!”</p>
<p>Holy shit. Nami started panicking, because who <em>wouldn’t</em> panic when their arguably toughest crew member just keeled over and <em>didn’t have a heartbeat</em>, and Sanji was completely motionless, and Luffy was still dripping wet and panicking now too, and Chopper had started CPR compressions and breaths.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What—” Usopp looked stunned, and now Robin was beside her now too, looking at the scene worriedly.</p>
<p>“I hope it isn’t some remaining injury from the previous attack,” she said, voice grave, and Nami loved Robin but she also wanted to hit her sometimes, because now she was stressed about that too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>People didn’t just <em>stop breathing</em>.</p>
<p><em>Zoro</em> didn’t just stop breathing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It sounded like the CPR had been successful, at least for now, and Zoro took a shallow, pained-sounding gasp of air.</p>
<p>Holy shit.</p>
<p>“I’ll help you look for any abnormalities,” said Law briskly, and he’d somehow appeared with a stretcher and several invasive looking pieces of equipment. Equipment to help someone <em>breathe</em>, good god. Zoro was unconscious as Chopper and Law loaded him up, and Luffy and Sanji just stared wordlessly as he was rushed back towards the medical bay.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What…” Franky’s voice trailed off, as they were all left standing on the decks of Sunny.</p>
<p>That pretty much summed it up. Luffy was still for a moment before running after them, leaving Sanji alone, dripping with water and looking impossibly confused.</p>
<p>“What is going <em>on</em>?” asked Usopp finally, for all of them. They didn’t all need to crowd into the med bay—it was bad enough if Luffy was getting in the way too, but as Sanji dried off and Jimbe and Brook came up to hear what had happened, it was evident that something was going on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I wonder,” said Robin slowly, her expression serious. “If there wasn’t some undiagnosed brain injury. This could be the result of a stroke, and it could perhaps explain some of the unusual memory problems he’s been experiencing this week.”</p>
<p>Brain <em>what</em>?! “Memory problems?!” asked Nami at the same time as Brook, but then Sanji and Usopp had these expressions that were <em>realization</em>, and Nami needed to know what that mean immediately, because she could think Zoro and brain injury because his brain literally wasn’t allowed to kill him. Not after all of this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m sure you’ve noticed his strange behavior,” said Robin. “Since the attack. But at least around me, he’s displayed several symptoms of memory impairment. Repeatedly asking questions he should know the answer to.”</p>
<p>Nami thought about Zoro, thought about the oddness, and sudden guilt dropped into her stomach. <em>Memory</em> loss. Had she just totally missed it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Like… getting lost on Sunny?” said Usopp grimacing, before holding up his hands when everyone looked at him, scandalized. “Look, he gets lost walking in a straight <em>line</em>, I thought it was weird too, but…”</p>
<p>And it sort of made sense, in a weird, twisted way. Nami had thought he was being strange because, well, sometimes Zoro could be strange, or attributed it to some anger at Sanji’s Whole Cake Island fiasco, or just…something else, but now everything was starting to become clearer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It didn’t make her feel any better.</p>
<p>“He did seem confused when we were speaking about Ace and I mentioned him being Roger’s son…almost like he had no idea that was the case,” said Jimbe, slow and rumbling. “And then, of course, when he forgot my name earlier this week.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“My name too,” said Franky, warily, and originally it had been just one of those <em>things</em>, one of the unexplainable <em>things</em>, how could they believe that Zoro would ever forget one of their names without something seriously wrong with him?</p>
<p>And Nami had been <em>mad</em> about it, dammit. They’d all been mad. It was why they’d all gotten drunk that night, annoyed and tired and not thinking of the big question: W-H-Y.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He also acted like he’d never seen Law before in his <em>life</em>—”</p>
<p>“And all the wedding stuff, like he had no idea what I was talking about—”</p>
<p>“The oddest expression when I mentioned Shusui, although he’s been fighting with it for years,” said Brook. “I simply thought he might be missing his old sword.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“To test my hypothesis,” said Robin serenely, because of <em>course</em> she had picked up on it when the rest of them were just complaining. “When he came to speak with me in the library, no doubt because someone had mentioned that he’d been avoiding several of us—”</p>
<p>Sanji’s face blanched, and a sudden realization glowed in Franky, Brook, and Jimbe’s faces.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And although I know our swordsman doesn’t typically enjoy reading the newspaper, he seemed remarkably unaware of current events, and so I mentioned the current whereabouts of one certain ex-Shichibukai, and his response was,” Robin paused, maybe only a little for dramatic effect. She didn’t need to, though, they were all leaning in. “Who’s Kuma?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was…impossible. Nami would never forget Kuma, none of them could ever forget Kuma, not with the way he’d nearly destroyed them on Thriller Bark (and she never did fully learn what happened there), and the way he <em>had</em> destroyed them on Sabaody. Kuma was engrained in her mind forcefully, and if <em>Zoro</em> had just <em>forgotten</em> him…</p>
<p>“No way,” said Sanji, and it was a testament to how seriously they were all taking it that he was saying something like that to Robin in the first place. “There’s no way he could forget…are you <em>sure</em>?” He cut himself off, like he was going to say something else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes,” said Robin. “It was very strange. But I can only hope I’m wrong, and any lapses in memory are only temporary.”</p>
<p>Good lord, how did they end up here?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shitty mosshead,” grunted Sanji, but there wasn’t much malice. “Should’ve mentioned he couldn’t remember things.”</p>
<p>“I think he was trying to,” said Franky uneasily. “But I didn’t catch on.”</p>
<p>None of them did. Except Robin.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’ll be fine, won’t he?” asked Usopp, looking like he was about to run over the first second they had a chance.</p>
<p>“’Course he will,” said Nami, when none of them knew how to answer. Because he had to be. Nami had seen him sliced open, bleeding everywhere, attempting to cut his own ankles off—and a little brain injury wouldn’t kill him. Zoro wouldn’t allow that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>
  <strong>Chopper</strong>
</p>
<p>Chopper was…well, to put it very bluntly, scared out of his mind, not because Zoro had a heart attack (that was a half a lie – it <em>did</em> scare him), but because he couldn’t find anything that could’ve caused it to happen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was <em>healthy</em>, or as healthy as a person could be expected to be a week after an explosive attack that no one knew the cause of, but Zoro was made of strong stuff and was doing so much better. Had Chopper just gotten sloppy? Missed some important signs that should’ve prepared him for this?</p>
<p>But Law agreed with him. There was apparently nothing wrong with his patient, and as terrifying as Law’s <em>Rooms</em> were, it made it easy to check for that sort of thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sometimes things just happen,” said Law, trying to ignore Luffy, who kept approaching. “Random and causeless. But…” He sighed. “It means we <em>shouldn’t</em> attack tonight.”</p>
<p>He sounded pained. Chopper would agree, except he was very happy staying far away from the Beasts Pirates anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A small, uncontrollable shudder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is he going to be okay?” asked Luffy, and it was the first time Luffy had actually <em>spoken</em>, and Chopper was vividly reminded of another time when Zoro had been badly injured, not a week ago but over two years ago, when Luffy had used the same voice.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Is he going to be okay?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Chopper hadn’t been sure then, hadn’t known the cause of the injuries on Thriller Bark, had only put some of the pieces together later, but Zoro had made it then and he would make it now. Chopper believed in him.</p>
<p>A low groan, almost too quiet to hear, but Zoro was stirring, blinking rapidly and in confusion.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey,” said Chopper gently, walking closer. “You’re okay. You had a heart attack—but it’s looking better now.”</p>
<p>Zoro’s brows were furrowed and confused, as he briefly looked around the room, eyes settling on Law and Luffy. He frowned. “Am I dead?” he asked, sounding remarkably unconcerned for a question like that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper’s blood pressure went up, but Luffy just laughed. “Nah. ‘Cause then I’d be dead too. And I’m not dead.”</p>
<p>Zoro hummed, as if this strange logic was perfectly reasonable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I know the others wanted to see you,” said Chopper. “Would you be okay with that? They were all really worried.”</p>
<p>Zoro frowned again, this time at <em>worried</em>, but he nodded. “Sure.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone came in, walking on eggshells and barely breathing, and Chopper frowned because what was <em>that</em> all about, and Luffy looked just as bemused, which was nothing compared to the expression on Zoro’s face.</p>
<p>“Uh, are you sure I’m not dead?” He asked, which did <em>not</em> make Chopper feel any better. But Zoro didn’t sound particularly worried, just…amused? “Because everyone’s acting like I’m dead.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You did have a heart attack,” said Usopp pointedly. “Do you…<em>remember</em> that?”</p>
<p>Nami and Sanji both hit him, and Franky muttered something that sounded like <em>“Subtle</em>”, and Zoro just blinked at them. “Uh,” he said. “Yeah, Chopper just mentioned it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was so…Chopper couldn’t think of any better word than painfully awkward, and he wasn’t sure exactly what had gotten into the rest of them, but they seemed more stressed out than <em>he</em> was.</p>
<p>Zoro didn’t look awkward at all. Actually, he looked calmer than Chopper had seen all week. Just sort of waiting, expectantly, for something to happen. What, Chopper wasn’t sure.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So…” said Zoro. “What did I miss?”</p>
<p>Chopper wasn’t sure what he meant, except anything that happened in the brief period of him being unconscious (and really, Chopper was curious what had happened too, for everyone to be acting like this), but suddenly they were all stumbling over each other to talk, so many sentences at once that Chopper literally couldn’t understand what anyone was saying, and apparently neither could Zoro, not with the way his eyebrows were raised.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, we’re in the country of <em>Wano</em>—”</p>
<p>“And this is Jimbe!”</p>
<p>“And there was this <em>wedding</em>, but not like a <em>good</em> wedding—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What…? Chopper turned to Luffy, who was making a very funny face, but he didn’t seem to know what was going on either. Law had the same expression he always did when the Straw Hats were doing something dumb or dangerous, and Zoro was just staring, open-mouthed, at the cacophony.</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stop!” Chopper cut them all off. “He just had a heart attack! Stop yelling!”</p>
<p>They all shut up, and there again was that weird, overly cautious sensation, like Zoro might have another heart attack right in front of them, and Chopper appreciated the concern but if it was making him feel uncomfortable, it was definitely making Zoro uncomfortable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’ll give you some space,” said Robin, bless her, and they all exited in a stream of confusing mutterings.</p>
<p>“Nice to know they care so much,” said Zoro, sounding amused again, and Chopper wanted to hit him a little bit because <em>of course</em> they cared, but he was smiling. “Well, if I’m not dead or dreaming…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Chopper didn’t know what that was supposed to mean, and neither did Law, as he left grumbling about something, but then Luffy bounded over, his eyes wide with understanding.</p>
<p>“Oh!” he said, and Zoro looked at him. “I get it now. Zoro left for a little, and now he’s back!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Chopper definitely didn’t know what <em>that</em> was supposed to mean, but Luffy looked pleased and then a similar understanding appeared on Zoro’s face. “That’s right, Captain,” he said, and Chopper just sort of looked between the two of them, unsure what to do or say.</p>
<p>But, if Zoro seemed happy and Luffy seemed happy, then he could be happy too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p>
  <strong>Zoro</strong>
</p>
<p>Zoro was twenty-one, back on Wano, and in a stupidly good mood.</p>
<p>It was possible that it was still some sort of dream, brought on by the awful agony of taking Luffy’s pain for a second time, but he couldn’t bring himself to mind. He’d missed everyone too much, and he was <em>back</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>From what Luffy had said, Zoro figured he must have been gone for a little bit—vanished, as he took his trip back in time, but now he was <em>back</em>, and even the incredibly bizarre way everyone on the ship was acting, save for Luffy, wasn’t going to bring him down.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Back in Wano, reunited with <em>Enma</em>, and it was with high spirits that Zoro went to find Law. He needed to practice with the sword, and the grumpy captain would have to do.</p>
<p>(It definitely wasn’t that Zoro missed Law. Not at all. No way.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi,” he said, once Chopper had cleared him. He’d been brought back by a heart attack of all things, but he wasn’t going to complain. Back in his own body after <em>months</em> and he felt <em>great</em>—</p>
<p>
  <em>We lost an eye, remember?</em>
</p>
<p>Zoro frowned at the intrusive thought. He did remember, obviously. He was there when it happened. He shook it away.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, Law. I know you’ve been dying to see this sword, give me a hand with it?”</p>
<p>What he did not expect was Law’s withering glare, but then it faded slightly. “…Perhaps Nico-ya was right,” he muttered, and Zoro didn’t know what that meant, but Law followed him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was awkward at first, maybe because Zoro had sort of forgotten how prickly the guy could be, but Law was a strong swordsman and really helpful for something like this, keeping his attacks <em>controlled</em>—</p>
<p><em>Law’s dating Luffy,</em> supplied one of his thoughts, helpfully, and wait—what?!</p>
<p>No, he wasn’t. Zoro was pretty certain he was not. Not that he knew <em>Law</em> well enough to tell, but Zoro knew Luffy too well. Where the hell had <em>that</em> come from?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I thought you weren’t going to fight with this sword,” said Law, and Zoro considered that. He had to be careful, sure, but after all his time in the past, his control of Haki had actually gotten much stronger.</p>
<p>Not that Zoro was going to tell Law that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or… or maybe he could. He realized they didn’t actually know he’d time traveled, just that he’d apparently vanished and then reappeared.</p>
<p>Without permanently damaging the time/space continuum, he might add.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It didn’t matter. Maybe they’d get a kick out of it, hearing about their escapades. Maybe he’d wait to spring it on them, wait until they weren’t acting as strange and hesitant. It didn’t matter either way, because he was <em>home</em>.</p>
<p>Enma didn’t try to take his strength this time. Zoro was on top of the world.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’ve been holding back on me,” said Law, suspiciously, and they really should find an empty dojo to fight in with a sword this strong, but Zoro was working on <em>control</em> (raw power, been there done that), and he felt stronger than he had in ages anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Enma’s the bad sword. It wants to destroy.</em>
</p>
<p>Destruction is fine, thought Zoro. As long as it’s not destroying <em>me</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The rest of the day, Zoro’s mood steadily improved even more, and it was this sort of baked in <em>relief</em> that meant he didn’t notice at first how strange everyone was acting. Not Luffy, for sure, and he hadn’t thought Chopper was acting strange either until he saw the reindeer shriek and run away from him, which was really just rude.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook was… well, Zoro was not wondering which version of the cook <em>was</em> less annoying to deal with, because the old cook was snappish and rude as hell, but this new cook kept avoiding him and Zoro didn’t like <em>that</em> either.</p>
<p>But it would be fine. Zoro could find some peacefulness in not knowing what was coming next, accepting things as they came, whatever terror Kaido had in store for him—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Kaido. Kaido is the emperor dragon, commander of the dragon army, and Luffy’s dad.</em>
</p>
<p>What.</p>
<p>It was like this small, muffled voice in the back of his head was attempting to make helpful comments that were wildly inaccurate. Zoro frowned and tried to ignore it, tried to focus on dinner, since everyone kept giving him such cagey glances <em>anyway</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was looking at him with these weirdly sad and contemplative expressions, which was something Zoro was very much unfamiliar with, the cook had his edgy avoidance, Usopp was chattering on about something but didn’t put much heart into it, and Zoro sighed and did his best to ignore it. He was tired of talking to them anyway, and instead was enjoying Brook and Jimbe’s company thankyouverymuch.</p>
<p>(It was also less confusing, in a way. He’d spent so long looking at his crewmates and thinking <em>babies</em> that it shifted, and now whenever he saw them it was like he was back on Sabaody, adjusting to different hair and outfits and habits.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After dinner, Zoro found Luffy, since being in the kitchen was apparently stifling, even as he felt the presences of the rest of the crew gradually converge (they were going to talk about <em>him</em>? Really?). Luffy looked happy to see him, the star-shaped scar suddenly so obvious and blunt, but nothing else really had changed.</p>
<p>Just the two of them and a black sky dotted with stars.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, where’d you go?” asked Luffy happily, sitting on the rail.</p>
<p>“Mmm, you don’t wanna guess?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy pouted, which was very typical. “How am I supposed to know where people go when they sort-of vanish?”</p>
<p>“Good point,” agreed Zoro. “I went back in time.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy’s eyes bulged, and his mouth dropped open. “That’s so <em>cool</em>, no <em>way</em>!” And Zoro loved him a little, just for being the same, either 17 or 19 he didn’t bat an eye. Just thought it was the coolest thing ever.</p>
<p>Like a singing skeleton, or an archeologist with too many hands, or a bad-mouthed cook, or a greedy sea witch, or a giant fishman, or a perverted cyborg, or a lying marksman, or a transforming reindeer, or his time-traveling swordsman.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It was really cool,” said Zoro. “But, I’m happy to be back.”</p>
<p>And Luffy grinned, bright as anything, and said “Me too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro went back to the boys room, and the wanted posters on the wall made him smile. Even seeing his own lower than the cook’s. They’d all gotten so much stronger.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He stretched, and something fell out of his sash. His…wait, how had his notebook traveled back with him?</p>
<p>But, no, this wasn’t either of his notebooks. It was a different one entirely, but Zoro didn’t remember ever writing in a notebook <em>before</em> he’d gone back in time, but that had to be the case, didn’t it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro flipped through it, recognizing his own handwriting, but he didn’t remember writing any of it. And none of it made <em>sense</em>, like why was there a <em>heart</em> connecting Usopp and the cook’s names—</p>
<p>
  <em>That’s where all the helpful stuff is. All the stuff we forgot.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Zoro kept reading and things were slowly, painfully falling into place. Most of it was gibberish, but little pieces (Franky is the speedo robot guy, Brook is the skeleton), were starting to make things clearer.</p>
<p>He hadn’t vanished.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As far as the others knew, Zoro had never left Wano. Because when Zoro had woken up on Alabasta, with memories that didn’t belong to him, and when those memories <em>left</em> him on Skypiea, they hadn’t vanished.</p>
<p>They’d woken up as Zoro on Wano. He’d somehow switched places with himself, and while Zoro had been reliving the islands of Paradise, <em>that</em> Zoro had been <em>here</em>, seriously misunderstanding things—</p>
<p>He hadn’t vanished. No one had vanished. He’d just switched places.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But then, something started to shift and blur, something <em>pulling</em> him backwards, some force trying to take him away from this body again from this <em>time</em> again—</p>
<p><em>“It hasn’t been completed yet.”</em> A voice rumbled, as Zoro struggled to keep himself in Wano. He wanted to stay, he <em>needed</em> to stay, he had to sort everything out.</p>
<p>“No!” gasped Zoro, feeling his consciousness start to fade. Blessedly, or horribly, the cook walked through the door and was given the treat of Zoro kneeling on the floor with his hand around his chest <em>again</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro, what—Chopper! Chopper!”</p>
<p>“Not Ch-Chopper—” Zoro gritted his teeth, the cook’s confused face was shifting in and out of focus. “It’s not—it’s n-not <em>me</em>, it’s <em>switched</em>, I’m on Thriller—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro hurtled backwards through time, unable to keep himself present any longer. Sunny was gone, Sanji was gone, his crew was gone, and he felt himself slam into the earth, into a bleeding body he’d momentarily escaped from.</p>
<p>He groaned, once again twenty-one years old and on the ruins of Thriller Bark, once again suffering from very nearly dying for pain that didn’t belong to him, and he was so <em>tired</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was nineteen years old, blinking into realization on Wano, as if he’d just had a strange daydream. He was on the floor, which was odd, and even odder was the amount of crew members yelling at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They sounded scared. That was no good.</p>
<p>“What’re you panicking about?” said Zoro, irritated, shoving the notebook back into his sash before anyone could look at it. “I’m <em>fine</em>, relax.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But, you—”</p>
<p>“Don’t you <em>remember</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro rolled his eyes. Eye. Because he’d lost an eye somehow. “I’m fine.”</p>
<p>The phrase <em>“It hasn’t been completed yet”</em> rang through his head unwillingly, a voice that was familiar and far away at the same time, and as they continued to question him incessantly he thought about paw prints and fire.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this chapter is saved on my computer as "back momentarily"<br/>hope you enjoyed this little switch up! now Zoro knows his own crew is still out there and that he's switched places, and now the wano-crew is seriously suspicious oops. let me know thoughts :) </p>
<p>Up next: The truth comes out. For real, this time.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“You’re not a fortuneteller?” asked Chopper, his voice small as he adjusted the thick bandages wrapped around Zoro’s body. </p>
<p>Zoro shook his head. “Nope,” he said. “I’d be a really shitty fortuneteller.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everything hurt. But it wasn’t enough to send Zoro back to Wano. Not enough for them to switch places again. Just enough for him to exist, floating on numbing drugs, sliding in and out of sleep rather than true unconsciousness.</p>
<p>It gave him a lot of time to think, hurting did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His crew was still out there, somewhere. Zoro hadn’t abandoned them, and they weren’t gone forever. Hope was blooming inside him, with all the overstretched muscles and broken bones, fluttering stronger and stronger. His crew was still out there.</p>
<p>And in between that, it was pain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro had forgotten, or time had numbed it, but he’d really destroyed himself. His mouth was filling with blood, coppery and warm and wet. His throat didn’t work. He was just frozen, paralyzed with the taste, and he was drowning in it a little too.</p>
<p>“—shit, blood—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Paralysis. Pain. But not enough to send him back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Agony shot through every part of him, burning in waves that collected in his broken fists and shoulders and knees and feet and lung and—everywhere.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was aware of someone standing near him, and he couldn’t have said who it was, but he felt their presence hovering over him like some sort of watchful ghost.</p>
<p>“What’d you do?” The voice asked, distant and far away, and Zoro knew he should’ve recognized it, but he couldn’t bring himself to awareness.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’ll make him tell us when he wakes up, Nami-san.”</p>
<p>“But what if he—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ah. Zoro didn’t know why the cook would be upset at him this time; he’d knocked him back unconscious <em>before</em> he had any chance to offer his own life instead. With any luck, that meant none of them would know about it.</p>
<p>Their voices filtered away, as his broken ribs pressed into his battered lungs, and it got harder to breathe. Then nothing, but not enough nothing to send him back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everything hurt, but it was easier now, more like a throbbing ache than being burned alive. Black spots swarmed in his vision, but there was something else now. Had he moved?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ve never seen Zoro this injured. He nearly died. Something must have happened while we were unconscious.”</p>
<p>“Indeed,” A different voice now. “I sincerely doubt that man just left.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And it’s strange how Luffy is bursting with energy.”</p>
<p>They were dancing around it, Zoro realized with vague apathy. He should be panicking, but his brain was dulled with pain medication, working overtime to suppress his gelatinous, mutinous limbs, stretched like taffy, his bones inflated and deflated, his ripped arteries and veins.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had to be powerful stuff.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It smelled like food now, and maybe that’s what stirred him into almost being awake. Something like cake sitting close to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s sleeping right through all the noise.”</p>
<p>“And here he’s the toughest guy in the crew…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, Chopper! Look!” One of the voices was louder and brighter. “This is for Zoro!”</p>
<p>And then music. Familiar piano music. Zoro floated slightly, almost above his body as he listened, the song like a salty breeze on the sun-warmed decks of Sunny.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Binkusu no sake wo, todoke ni yuku yo—</em>
</p>
<p>Zoro sank into sleepy warmth, because he was here and that was good, but <em>his</em> crew was somewhere too, and Zoro would find them again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro woke up. He was twenty-one years old, in a nineteen-year-old body that still had two eyes, and he blinked a few times before coughing. His throat felt rough. Probably all of the screaming.</p>
<p>Haha.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper was immediately by his side, and jeez, he hoped the little guy had gotten <em>some</em> sleep. He rushed around, checking blood pressure and heart rate, and Zoro obliged, figuring he’d owed him at least that much for nearly getting himself killed.</p>
<p>“How’re you feeling?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Actually, not that bad,” said Zoro, which was mostly true. His brain felt foggy, and everything still <em>hurt</em>, but it was aching not burning, and he knew this was going to take a while to heal anyway. No unrealistic expectations.</p>
<p>Tears gathered in Chopper’s eyes. “What <em>happened</em>?!” he asked, breathlessly. “We were all in bad shape after Oars and Moria and that other guy, but…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s okay now,” said Zoro, patting Chopper on the head. Funny, how he’d woken up in the med bay twice in a row now under stupidly different circumstances. And different timelines.</p>
<p>This was confusing.</p>
<p>“But it <em>wasn’t</em>,” insisted Chopper. “You almost <em>died</em> Zoro, I can’t… I can’t fix everything, I’m going to be the best doctor but I’m not <em>yet</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey,” said Zoro, wincing only a little to wrap his arm around Chopper. Definitely didn’t make all his muscles seize up. “Me getting injured isn’t <em>your</em> fault. You did a phenomenal job. I’m really grateful.”</p>
<p>Chopper was stuck between wanting to continue to argue and the sweet little happy dance he compulsively did whenever someone complimented him. Zoro smiled and eased himself to a sitting position, his vision only flickering a little.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ZORO!!!!” Luffy’s yell reverberated, and suddenly the door flung open and his captain was there, grinning widely, his chest scar-free. Zoro was feeling slightly less charitable, though, when Luffy jumped on top of him and Zoro’s breath hitched, painfully.</p>
<p>“LUFFY! HE’S STILL REALLY INJURED!”</p>
<p>“Shishishi, but he’s awake now!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro groaned, picking Luffy off of him. “You’re a real pain in the ass, you know?” He said, but it was fond because it couldn’t be anything else, and Luffy was <em>alive</em> and they were all <em>alive</em>, and they had time before Zoro would have to see Kuma again.</p>
<p>“Mhmm,” said Luffy, finally standing up. “Where’d Zoro go??”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro might never in a million years be able to understand how his captain could be so unbelievably dense and so <em>perceptive</em> at the same time. The other Luffy, <em>his</em> Luffy, had also looked at him and just known.</p>
<p>“I went back, for a little,” said Zoro, and Luffy’s eyes lit up with understanding, even as Chopper looked between the two of them. Zoro could hear voices outside distantly, and really just wanted to explain it only once.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro. “You were happy to see me.”</p>
<p>“That’s no fair,” said Luffy, frowning. “He can’t have <em>both</em> of you—oh, Sanji’s mad and asking lots of questions and Nami’s mad too, especially ‘cause I said you were probably on an adventure somewhere, and then Franky said that didn’t make any sense—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper looked completely lost, and Zoro held up his hand. “Thanks for trying,” he said, even though that was a spectacularly vague description. “But I promised I’d tell ‘em.”</p>
<p>Then Chopper slowly nodded, as if remembering this, and after he’d thoroughly examined Zoro’s mysterious injuries, he was cleared to walk. Luffy had already bounded away, probably spreading the exciting news.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re not a fortuneteller?” asked Chopper, his voice small as he adjusted the thick bandages wrapped around Zoro’s body.</p>
<p>Zoro shook his head. “Nope,” he said. “I’d be a really shitty fortuneteller.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Walking was painful, but not significantly more painful than sitting in bed, and anyway, Zoro would rather get this over with. Especially now that he might have the chance of returning to his own time, something he’d thought was impossible.</p>
<p>“Zoro!” Usopp called out, looking relieved. Zoro inched towards them, doing an excellent job of not wincing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yo,” he greeted, going for an expression that was very <em>casual</em> and may or may not work. It was strange, seeing everyone <em>again</em> after seeing them older and now they were younger, and Luffy was right—the cook did appear to be in a bad mood “Brook, did you officially join?”</p>
<p>“Hm?” Brook was giving him a strange look, something almost…what was it, reverential? Or just respect—oh, he knew this already. Brook had seen what happened with Kuma the last time, so there was no reason to believe he wouldn’t have this time either. Ah, well. “I did!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good,” said Zoro, eyeing the varied expressions around him. He didn’t know how to <em>start</em>, let alone if any of them would believe it. But—“First of all, it’s not very nice to go through peoples’ stuff.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper and Usopp both twitched nervously, Nami looked half-guilty, Franky rolled his eyes, Robin’s expression didn’t change (it was probably <em>her</em> who’d gotten it, anyway), and the cook opened his damn mouth.</p>
<p>“Oh? Like you’re one to talk, writing all that shit—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro had to remind himself it was the old notebook, which was mostly scribbled thoughts, and not the new notebook which had a detailed outline of everything he could remember. A small win, at least. “Second,” he interrupted the cook, who was seething. “I can’t see the future. I’m from the future.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A beat of silence stretched out. Then, because no one had said anything, Zoro shrugged, already wishing he’d planned this out better. “Well, to <em>me</em> it’s the present. And this is the past. But to all of <em>you</em> it would be the future—”</p>
<p>“Wait, what?!” Nami’s voice, sharp and bright. “The <em>what</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re from—”</p>
<p>“What—”</p>
<p>Zoro sighed. “Yeah. It’s sort of a pain actually, but—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hold up,” Usopp put his hands up, and everyone else just looked spectacularly confused. Maybe some questioning of Zoro’s sanity. Except Robin, who looked almost <em>smug</em>, and dammit, she’d figured it out, hadn’t she?</p>
<p>“The future? But you look….the same.”</p>
<p>“Body didn’t come with me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay…” said Usopp slowly. It seemed like no one else was capable of saying anything. The cook looked like he’d been punched in the face. “So…how old are you?”</p>
<p>“Twenty-one,” said Zoro, because that was actually a good question. “Two years from now and some change.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The future,” repeated Nami. “So, you <em>time traveled</em>.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She looked very unhappy about this. “But time travel’s not possible.”</p>
<p>“Is it any less weird than the crystal ball theory?”</p>
<p>“But—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nami-san,” said Robin. “Here on the Grand Line, worrying about what’s possible or not possible can be a tiresome. I have no reason to doubt swordsman-san is telling the truth.”</p>
<p>Zoro just raised an eyebrow. “So, you guessed it, huh?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I did,” said Robin, and there was a chorus of disbelief from the cook, Nami, Chopper, Usopp, and Franky. For Brook’s part, he merely looked interested. “Knowing what is going to happen before it occurs is one thing, but it is another entirely to have such a wider attack range. That you use when you don’t believe anyone is looking.”</p>
<p>For the love of… “Yes,” said Zoro, rubbing his left eye. “Most of my attacks came back with me as well.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin, you knew?!” Nami sounded scandalized.</p>
<p>“I suspected.”</p>
<p>It was taking some of the heat off of him, but Chopper peered at him with those big, curious eyes. “What’s the future like?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Busy,” said Zoro, thinking of the shitstorm that was Wano. <em>Especially</em> without him, good grief. “A few more princesses. Some alliances.”</p>
<p>“Alliances?” said Usopp, skeptically, gesturing over at Luffy who wasn’t quite near them but not too far away either. “With <em>that</em> guy?”</p>
<p>“He calls it friendship.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Weird,” said Franky, as Usopp sputtered something. “Super weird. But it does explain a lot.”</p>
<p>“But,” said Nami, flabbergasted. “<em>Time</em> travel?! How long have you, or the <em>other</em> you, been here?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro winced. “It started back in Alabasta,” he said. “But it was both of us. Old me and current me, in this body. But then, after Skypiea, the old me left and I thought he was gone for good.”</p>
<p>“Thought?” asked Robin carefully, and the others were listening closely now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Turns out,” Zoro exhaled. “Turns out we just switched places. I’m here, but the other me is in the future. I think it has something to do with getting knocked unconscious.”</p>
<p>“That’s…confusing,” said Usopp, summing it up nicely. “So, it’s sort of like tag. Like, ‘tag you’re it’, you get to be in the future or you get to be in the past.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why didn’t you say anything?” asked the cook finally, the first thing he’d said aloud since the revelation. He looked sort of pale.</p>
<p>“Well,” said Zoro. “I didn’t think there was any point. I didn’t know what happened on Wano, I just…ended up here. I didn’t think I could get back.”</p>
<p>“Wano?” asked Robin, while the others attempted to process what he’d just said. Zoro nodded.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Get back,” said Usopp. “Get—<em>oh</em>, because <em>we’re</em> in the future too!”</p>
<p>“Well, yeah,” said Zoro, and there was still disbelief but also excitement. “Just two years older.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp and Chopper immediately started asking questions, loud and rambling, about what the future was <em>like</em> and if they’d gotten <em>stronger</em> and if their bounties were <em>higher</em> (Zoro considered lying to Chopper about that, he really did), while Nami exclaimed “Time travel?!” for at least the third time.</p>
<p>They were still clearly full of disbelief and surprise, which made sense. It had taken Zoro ages to figure out what had happened, and he was the one who was randomly sent into the past. But maybe it would be good that they all knew. Less work for <em>him</em>, anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Have you made any significant changes?” asked Robin, and that got them all quiet again, paying closer attention.</p>
<p>“Not really,” said Zoro, thinking about both journeys currently floating around in his head. “Or if I tried, it didn’t change much.”</p>
<p>“Like what?” asked Usopp.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I <em>wanted</em> to avoid that stupid Davy Back Fight, but no, we <em>had</em> to go—”</p>
<p>“Then you knew Aokiji would be there as well?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro paused. It made sense that Robin would be upset about it, if the edge in her voice was anything to go by, but he also knew beyond a doubt that they’d done the right thing by facing the government then. There was just too much that could’ve gone wrong if they’d waited or put it off.</p>
<p>“I did,” he said. “This time was better, though.”</p>
<p>“Was it?”</p>
<p>“You weren’t turned into a frozen statue, so I’d say so.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin’s face barely reacted. “Then, the CP9 agents on Water 7.”</p>
<p>“Well, we could’ve sailed around, except we needed a new ship and new shipwright, and except Aokiji already alerted the government to our presence. I could’ve told you not to go with them, but I probably would’ve done that anyway if I knew what you were planning,” He stopped, shrugging. “I don’t just have faith in this crew because it’s happened before. I had just as much faith two years ago.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin didn’t say anything else. Franky coughed, muttering something like “it all worked out, didn’t it?”, and the others looked like they were thinking through everything that happened, trying to find hints that may or may not be there.</p>
<p>There was a crash of rubber hitting wood, and Luffy jumped up. “Are you done yet?” he asked, fidgeting impatiently. “I wanna sail to Fishman Island!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy, this is important—wait,” Nami paused. “You haven’t been here? You didn’t hear—”</p>
<p>“He already knew,” said Zoro. Nami’s mouth dropped open, and she looked over at their captain, incensed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You <em>knew</em>?!”</p>
<p>“Knew what?” asked Luffy. “Zoro’s Zoro.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook sighed. “I’m not even surprised,” he grumbled, visible eye rolling as Nami screeched at Luffy again. “This is for real? Time travel?”</p>
<p>“For real. Time travel.”</p>
<p>“Shit,” The cook lit his cigarette, blowing out a stream of smoke. “Our lives are so fucking weird.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You have no idea,” said Zoro, but it didn’t seem like he was mad anymore. And as Usopp and Chopper somehow got pulled into Nami and Luffy’s increasingly loud argument, and they would set sail soon, not exactly to Fishman Island, but an adventure nonetheless.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A strange thought settled into Zoro’s head, growing like a weed since his encounter with Kuma. Nearly every part of it had been the same. Except, well, that.</p>
<p>Before Sabaody, he would do something about it. Zoro hadn’t forgotten about the letters he’d sent out, but with any luck, when the Worst Generation united on that island, they would have some company.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Even though we now have someone on board who knows everything that’s going to happen before it does—don’t interrupt me, Zoro—you <em>don’t</em> want him to tell us?!”</p>
<p>“Why would I?” asked Luffy, bemused, encouraging a collective sigh from half the table.</p>
<p>They’d set sail from Thriller Bark, finally, and Zoro was on his best behavior with the damn bandages, remembering all too clearly how his injuries had just gotten worse. And even if Luffy didn’t manage to bring a fucking Admiral to the island, if Zoro’s plans were going to <em>work</em> they would all need all the strength they could get.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Because we could avoid <em>problems</em>,” said Nami, exasperated. “We’re always running into so many problems, and here’s a chance to actually <em>avoid</em>—”</p>
<p>“What kind of adventure is that?!” Luffy scowled. “I don’t <em>want</em> to know what’s coming up next! Otherwise, what’s the point? I wouldn’t want to have a shitty life like that!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s okay, Nami-san,” said the cook, before Nami could open her mouth again. “We don’t need the mosshead’s help. With his luck, he’d just get us into more trouble anyway.”</p>
<p>“Hey—”</p>
<p>“Are you sure?” asked Nami, grimacing. “Not just about this. Are you sure about the Vivre card?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I certainly do not mind taking a detour, Luffy-san.”</p>
<p>“Yeah Luffy, we would all be cool with it!”</p>
<p>“I want to meet your <em>super</em> brother!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, really,” Luffy smiled. “It’s okay. Honest. Ace wouldn’t want me too. He’d hate anything that made him look weak, he’s just yell at me. We’ll meet again as enemy pirates!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro accepted the mug thrown at him with only a very small glare. He was trying not to listen to Luffy’s optimism. Trying not to let any of it show on his face. Because a lot of the vague ideas he had in his brain (he could barely call it a plan) relied on Luffy acting just the way he had the first time around. Otherwise, there was too much Zoro didn’t know, since he hadn’t been there.</p>
<p>But he would damn well be there this time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, Zoro! You haven’t toasted with us since you’ve been sleeping!”</p>
<p>“Hm?”</p>
<p>“I’ll take it again!” Usopp held his mug up. “To Brook, our new nakama! And to Zoro, our old nakama who’s really our new nakama who’s really a time traveler!”</p>
<p>Zoro grunted but raised his mug anyway, the alcohol spilling out as they all toasted. “Kampai!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami found him later that evening, and Zoro wasn’t really surprised to see her. Well, he’d been expecting Robin to come find him first, but it seemed that she was keeping her thoughts to herself. For now, anyway.</p>
<p>“I know how Luffy feels about it,” she began, eyeing the room. “But is Ace in trouble?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could lie. Or he could enlist Nami’s help, which actually could be very useful. Of all the people who had to go back in time, Zoro would not have picked himself, but here he was.</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami’s eyes widened. “Like, serious trouble?!”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro. “Serious trouble.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why didn’t you say anything?!” Nami hissed, moving away from the door. “Look, just because you’re from the future or whatever doesn’t mean—”</p>
<p>“Nami,” said Zoro. “That’s not it. Luffy doesn’t want to know what’s coming next, and that’s fine, but what’s coming next isn’t good. And we’re taking that detour, whether we want to or not.”</p>
<p>She got quiet, sitting down on the edge of Sunny’s training room. “Whether we want to or not?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Two years ago, only Luffy took the detour,” said Zoro. “And that’s something I never forgave myself for. I don’t think any of us did. So this time, we’re doing it together.”</p>
<p>“What kind of trouble are we talking about, Zoro?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The big kind,” said Zoro, staring at her. They did need to be prepared. And getting Nami on his side about things early could only help in the end. “Like, biggest thing since the execution of the Pirate King big.”</p>
<p>Nami swore. “What’re we going to do about it?! Do you have some kind of plan?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sort of,” said Zoro. But a lot of it depends on Sabaody.”</p>
<p>“Sabaody?”</p>
<p>“The last island of Paradise,” said Zoro. “A lot of shit went down last time. But depending on how things go…” He shrugged. “Well, it’ll be here soon enough.”</p>
<p>“Do you have some kind of plan?” repeated Nami. “If it’s as big as you’re saying—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Era defining,” said Zoro. “And Luffy was right in the middle of it. But this time, we’re all going to be there. I’m going to make sure of it.” He looked at Nami, who’d seen firsthand exactly how far Luffy was willing to go for people time and time again. “You grow your hair out, by the way. It’s been weird seeing you with short hair again.”</p>
<p>Whatever Nami had been about to say, she closed her mouth and sort of smiled. “I was thinking about letting it grow,” she said. “So the younger Zoro is with all of us in the future?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro. “Everyone was acting super weird. But Luffy figured it out, just like he did here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How does he do that?” wondered Nami aloud, letting out a long sigh. “I’m trusting you, okay? Keep us in the loop about it. Luffy shouldn’t do stuff by himself, and neither should you.”</p>
<p>“I know,” said Zoro. “Believe me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami stared at him, her head tilted slightly to the side. “Things get a lot more complicated in the New World, huh?”</p>
<p>“You have no idea.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She groaned, burying her head. “You’re supposed to lie—wait, <em>no one’s</em> found the One Piece in two years?! Two full years of saving islands and fighting marines?”</p>
<p>“Uh,” said Zoro, and Nami took that as a ‘yes.’ Which was… a little misleading, but he didn’t need to explain <em>everything</em> yet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I guess that’s to be expected,” said Nami, sighing. “Always trouble, huh?”</p>
<p>There was a splash and yell from outside. “Always trouble.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro had forgotten about the stupid flying fish. And then he remembered, the threatening, iron-masked man who was so intense in his hatred for the cook.</p>
<p>He didn’t remember the cook actually looking <em>scared</em> last time. Just upset and annoyed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>None of this prevented Zoro from howling like a maniac with the mask came off, he was actually <em>wheezing</em>, gasping for breath even more than Brook was. This was the best day of his life.</p>
<p>“STOP LAUGHING!” yelled the cook, fully incensed, his face sputtering red rage. “BOTH OF YOU MORONS! I’LL POUND YOU LATER!”</p>
<p>Zoro was <em>much</em> too amused to care very much. What a glorious, glorious day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh wow, they look just like each other.”</p>
<p>“Two peas in a pod,” confirmed Zoro, through his laughter. The cook looked murderous.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“SHUT UP!” he yelled. “AND YOU! If you don’t want to look like the poster, why don’t you change your eyebrows or your beard or hair?!”</p>
<p>Duval looked like this had literally never once occurred to him. Zoro might pass out if he kept laughing like this; it definitely couldn’t be good for his battered lungs. He could feel the injuries twisting, reopening and bleeding back into him. But it was worth it just for this sweet, sweet moment.</p>
<p>Whenever he got back to Wano, he was <em>definitely</em> going to bring this up again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Should we be worried, Zoro-san?” Brook asked, as within a few minutes the cook was pulled underwater and a giant anchor was hovering above Sunny.</p>
<p>“Nah,” said Zoro, another laugh hiccupping out of him. His ribs were really pressing into his lungs hard; he might have to ask for more pain medication from Chopper. “They’ll be fine.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hopefully reveal (part 1) was worth it! I figured at this point, especially after most of them almost guessed it, Zoro would take the direct approach. (If you're looking for a significantly more chaotic reveal, we've got a few chapters) Let me know what you thought!</p>
<p>Up next: Sabaody</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Because Luffy thought Sabo was dead. But he wasn’t. And Zoro knew. But it was more than that too—not that Zoro was in the habit of refusing Luffy much, but where he could make some decisions involving the others, all Luffy had to do was ask, and Zoro would tell him.</p>
<p>Luffy almost looked like he was considering it, but then he shook his head. “Nuh uh. Unless it’s why you like that weird doctor more than me.”</p>
<p>Thank god Law wasn’t actually here. “He’s easy to get worked up. It’s more fun.”<br/>Luffy pouted again. “Mean—oh, then he’s a new friend?!” He let out something akin to a cackle before leaving the kitchen.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They were headed for Sabaody, and Zoro weighed his options before deciding it was better if everyone had an idea of what they were getting themselves involved with by being on this island. So, when their new friends were cleaning up from cooking the thousands of Takoyaki balls Luffy inhaled, Zoro made eye contact with Robin and the cook and Nami and Franky and eventually got everyone’s attention to walk into the kitchen without actually announcing it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy came too, stomach bloated, and frowned along with everyone else as they looked at the eleven wanted posters Zoro had laid out on the table, especially because nine of the eleven were unfamiliar names and faces. More or less, anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Consider it just a day or so early,” said Zoro dryly as they all filed in. “We’re not the only ones headed to Sabaody.”</p>
<p>Robin peered at the wanted posters curiously, and she read the newspaper more diligently than the rest of them did, so many of the names were likely familiar. Nami had the same look in her eye, reading the names and numbers and epithets.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nine rookie crews arriving at the same time, with eleven bounties above 100,000,000 berries,” Zoro pointed at the table. “Organized by how much they’ve personally annoyed me.”</p>
<p>That might have gotten a laugh, except everyone was too busy reading.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The Surgeon of Death,” said Robin, looking at Law’s placement on the far right side, next to his own poster and Luffy’s. Actually, it was to the right of Luffy’s too. “Is he so amiable?”</p>
<p>“How much they bother <em>me</em>,” Zoro corrected. “Law bothers plenty of other people. Stop pouting, Luffy.”</p>
<p>“Zoro’s <em>mean</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Highest bounty’s this Kidd guy,” said Franky. “He’s tough?”</p>
<p>“He’s fine,” said Zoro. “Don’t really remember what he’s capable of at this point, but their crew’s bounties are higher is civilian casualty numbers.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A few nodding heads at that, as they continued up and down the line. “Not a big fan of Basil Hawkins?”</p>
<p>“Would be a bigger fan if he stopped trying to kill me.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you deserved it.”</p>
<p>Zoro glared at the cook, but at least he wasn’t moping about bounty numbers. He just looked interested. “I’m only showing you now because they’ll know who we are too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Weird to think all these other crews were traveling around this whole time, too,” murmured Nami, gazing at the posters. “And I’m guessing they’re going to the New World as well.”</p>
<p>“It’s a riot.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp shuddered, muttering something under his breath that Chopper fervently agreed to.</p>
<p>He answered a few more questions, feeling a little like an out of sorts tour guide, but no one was demanding an exact timeline for what was about to happen. Probably because they viewed it as more of a pit stop than anything else, and Zoro hadn’t given anyone reason to think otherwise.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They all left again, prompted by the octopus’s loud voice, but Zoro put his hand on Luffy’s shoulder before he had the chance to walk out. “Hmmm?”</p>
<p>“I know I’m the last one who should be giving you this advice,” said Zoro. “But please don’t punch any Celestial Dragons.”</p>
<p>Luffy’s expression changed, first to confusion and then to understanding. Some grim memory. Zoro thought he might know which one. “Y’know, if you ask, I’ll tell you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because Luffy thought Sabo was dead. But he wasn’t. And Zoro knew. But it was more than that too—not that Zoro was in the habit of refusing Luffy much, but where he could make some decisions involving the others, all Luffy had to do was ask, and Zoro would tell him.</p>
<p>1.5 Billion.</p>
<p>Luffy almost looked like he was considering it, but then he shook his head. “Nuh uh. Unless it’s why you like that weird doctor more than me.”</p>
<p>Thank god Law wasn’t <em>actually</em> here. “He’s easy to get worked up. It’s more fun.”</p>
<p>Luffy pouted again. “<em>Mean</em>—oh, then he’s a new friend?!” He let out something akin to a cackle before leaving the kitchen.</p>
<p>Zoro was trying very hard not to look fond.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t be afraid to ask for directions!”</p>
<p>“Don’t trust your instincts!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The assholes. Zoro didn’t even bother looking at the numbers—he remembered it was 1, <em>thank you</em>, and even so, he wasn’t going on a walk anyway. He was going to see if his message had been delivered.</p>
<p>They would run into Rayleigh at some point, although Zoro didn’t remember exactly when. But what he was hoping for was <em>some</em> sign of the Whitebeard Pirates, someone at least interested to know how he’d gotten his information. Because at this point, Ace had been captured. That much was certain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro sighed as he walked along the bubbles and roots. It was almost stranger, being back on this grove. A place where he really thought he might die, and the place where he’d reunited with his crew. Weakness and strength, running in parallel. There would be plenty of bounty hunters, and if any of them were stupid enough to try to capture him, well, that would be their problem not his.</p>
<p>(A few did try. Zoro laughed, and his lungs only ached a little.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But then… Zoro sensed someone else. Someone <em>much</em> stronger than the little insects chasing him around, the kind of strength that was also being intentionally muffled. The kind of raw power that made him think of the New World, and it was following him at a distance. Zoro drew away from anyone else nearby, allowing for some seclusion. That Big News bird would have a field day if he saw someone from a <em>Yonko</em> crew talking to a mere rookie.</p>
<p>A Yonko first-division commander, at that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yo,” said Zoro, pleasantly. Or, as pleasant as he ever sounded. “Nice to meet you.”</p>
<p>He hadn’t seen Marco in person, and his first thought was that his head <em>did</em> sort of look like a pineapple, especially with the hair styled like it was. His second thought was that he should probably exercise more caution than he currently was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, we haven’t met?” The man asked, his face every inch of both suspicion and confidence. “You seemed to know me, Roronoa-<em>yoi</em>.”</p>
<p>“No, we haven’t met,” said Zoro. “I’ve just heard about you.”</p>
<p>“A lot of people have heard of me,” said Marco. “Most don’t send me letters, though. Especially not letters with information that doesn’t belong.” His eyes narrowed. “What game are you playing at, Roronoa?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No game.” Zoro put his hands up and kept his gaze level. “The Grand Line is a shitshow. Pretty much anything can happen. It’s foolish to dismiss anything just because it sounds crazy.”</p>
<p>“I’m aware,” said Marco dryly. “I’ve been sailing these waters longer than you’ve been alive.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro shrugged. “Fair enough. I sent you that letter because I’m a time traveler.”</p>
<p>Whatever Marco was expecting, it wasn’t <em>that</em>. He blinked, owlishly, the hardened façade slipping briefly. “What?”</p>
<p>“A time traveler,” repeated Zoro. “From about two years from now. I’ve lived this day before, I’ve seen this upcoming war before, and I know how it ends.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Marco stared at him. “You’re serious.”</p>
<p>“Dead serious,” said Zoro. “And I sent it to you because it affects you and your crew more than me or mine. You lost. The consequences were devastating.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t know much about Marco, beyond that he’d saved Luffy’s life and was a powerhouse of a fighter, able to go toe to toe with the Admirals. He didn’t know what kind of person he was, though, how he would react to something like that. Disbelief, maybe. Denial. But Marco just continued to stare, before finally shaking his head slightly.</p>
<p>“What happened?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They sat down on the banks of the Archipelago, a sight that would’ve made any bounty hunter or marine shit themselves, and Zoro told him about Marineford. How he hadn’t been there, how none of the Strawhats had, instead hearing the news like the rest of the world. The son of the Pirate King, set to be executed for the crime of birth, and then killed by Akainu with a magma fist to the back. Whitebeard, standing proud as he died, not a single mark on his back.</p>
<p>The One Piece was real. The beginning of a new era.</p>
<p>Blackbeard’s plan all along, how he’d somehow been able to take Whitebeard’s powers from him, how he’d been crowned Emperor of the Sea in his place.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is crazy,” said Marco, in a low voice, but he didn’t look like he thought <em>Zoro</em> was crazy, which was a good place to start. “It sounds unbelievable.”</p>
<p>“I know,” said Zoro. “It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not, though. This is what’s going to happen unless something changes.”</p>
<p>“Truly? If this turns out to be some kind of sick—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I swear on it,” said Zoro. “That may not mean much to you. But I don’t break my promises. And I’m going to be there this time. You can do whatever you’d like.”</p>
<p>Marco closed his eyes and swore under his breath. “I’ll need to talk to Pops,” he muttered. “The sixth level of Impel Down?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“With Jimbe,” said Zoro. “He got himself arrested because he refused to fight in this farce.”</p>
<p>A small smile tugged at that. “It’d be more helpful if he <em>weren’t</em> in prison. Too damn loyal.” He eyed Zoro again. “I think we’ll be seeing each other again.”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Two wings appeared, both made of blue and gold flames, a cackling warmth that was like fire but also far from it. “I hope your journey into the past will be worth it,” said Marco. “For everyone’s sake.”</p>
<p>He flew away, a blur of blue, and Zoro hoped he was right.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro definitely wasn’t lost.</p>
<p>Nope, not at all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Did you hear what happened at the Auction House?!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Going up against the Celestial Dragons?!”</em>
</p>
<p>For fuck’s sake.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Using Observation Haki should <em>not</em> be this difficult, but his body was getting tired of running around the entire stupid island. Finally, though, he managed to get a lock on everyone’s presences, gathered in…good grief, why were they all so far <em>away</em>? But as he got closer, he could pick up others too. Law. Kidd. The whole gang was really here.</p>
<p>People were running outside the broken down wall, and marines would likely be gathering too, especially if people were already talking about it elsewhere. News traveled damn fast, and it wouldn’t be long before Kizaru was dispatched.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Always causing trouble,” muttered Zoro, jumping onto one of the surrounding buildings. He could hear the sounds of clashing now, the familiar hum of Nami’s electric bolts and snap of Luffy’s rubber attacks. “Always—”</p>
<p>He jumped in through the roof, sending a sharp attack spinning. “—cannon!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro!” Luffy sounded cheerful, even with the two guards he was in the middle of punching. Actually, that probably contributed to his good mood. “Where’ve you been?”</p>
<p>Zoro grunted. “You punched a Celestial Dragon?”</p>
<p>“You told me not to! So I kicked him instead!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the love of… “That’s the same thing!”</p>
<p>“No, it’s not!” chirped back Luffy, ducking an attack. “Otherwise Zoro would say no punching <em>and</em> no kicking—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is now <em>really</em> the time?!” yelled Nami, sending a thunder cloud to the ceiling. “We need to get out of here before the navy gets here!”</p>
<p>“The navy’s already here,” said a familiar voice, and Zoro couldn’t help but grin a <em>little</em> bit. He looked like such a baby.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy frowned and glared. “Who’re you supposed to—hey, wait! Zoro’s <em>my</em> swordsman, you can’t take him—”</p>
<p>“What—”</p>
<p>“Even if he likes you better—”</p>
<p>“Can you stop putting words in my mouth?” grunted Zoro, hitting him on the back of the head. “The navy’s already here, and they’ve surrounded the Auction House.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Trafalgar Law,” said Robin calmly, looking at who was left in the room. “And that must be Eustass ‘Captain’ Kidd.”</p>
<p>It was. He looked pleased at being recognized, the bastard. Law’s eyes had narrowed, looking between Luffy and Zoro for some insight into what he’d just said. Zoro wasn’t going to give him that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If that’s how this is going, then I will just shoot this silly mermaid!”</p>
<p>Zoro held back a groan. The Celestial Dragons were such a shitshow—it blew his mind, really, that the marines had tolerated and <em>encouraged</em> them for this long, despite them being egregiously awful in everything that they did. Descendants of the Creators be dammed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But before she could fire the shot, as it happened the last time too, there was a blast of <em>Haki</em> and a bearded man stepped out, surveying the remaining chaos with some amusement. The Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh, in the flesh.</p>
<p>His control was incredible, knocking all the guards unconscious without a hint of struggle. He peered at Luffy, a long scar vertical along his eye. “That straw hat suits you,” he said. “I’ve been interested in meeting you, Monkey D. Luffy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Who is this guy?” muttered the cook, glancing at Zoro warily.</p>
<p>“Rayleigh,” answered Zoro, and Rayleigh looked over at him, too.</p>
<p>“You’re Roronoa Zoro,” said Rayleigh. “I received a very interesting letter from you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro felt eight heads swivel towards him, but he kept his stare forward. He didn’t know if Rayleigh knew. He didn’t know if it would make a difference, or if it would bring the Dark King out of retirement. That made it almost more important than convincing the Whitebeard Pirates—they were going to act anyway, and Rayleigh was more of an unknown.</p>
<p>He didn’t answer, just nodded his head slightly in acknowledgement.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rayleigh’s expression didn’t change, but he did turn to Camie and say, “I’m going to take that collar off now.”</p>
<p>The reactions lined up nearly as they had before, a mixture of panic and strange unease, especially as the timing device began to beep louder and more rapidly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi, is this okay—”</p>
<p>“It’s going to explode on Camie!”</p>
<p>And there was an explosion, but the two of them remained unscathed, even as Franky ran onto the stage holding a key ring and looking incredibly confused. Everyone looked confused, and Rayleigh still had a half smile playing at his lips.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What would <em>he</em> think, Zoro wondered, seeing some kid running around with that Straw Hat on in the distant future?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He took the collar off?!” Usopp gulped, ducking down and looking around the room at the fallen guards. “And all of these people at once…”</p>
<p>“Never expected to see such a legend here,” Kidd’s voice came from the back. “The Dark King, Silvers Rayleigh.”</p>
<p>“On this island I’m a simple coating craftsman,” said Rayleigh. “An old man living in peace.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’s that about wanting to meet me?”</p>
<p>His eyes glittered as he surveyed the scene. “We can save that for later. We should get out of here first.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It shouldn’t have been this amusingly nostalgic, watching Kidd, Luffy, and Law bitch about who was helping who and who was in the <em>way</em> of who, but it was, and Zoro chuckled lightly at their proverbial dick measuring contest, especially since it would only get worse.</p>
<p>Good times.</p>
<p>But they’d reached Shakky’s bar, and the announcement of the century, that the person in front of them was actually the vice-captain on Roger’s ship, and Zoro just slid himself into the background, bottle in hand. His own question would come soon enough.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Th-the Pirate King?!”</p>
<p>“No way!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami shook her head in disbelief. “Everyone’s heard your name at least once…”</p>
<p>“How does a big shot like you know an octopus?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hachi rescued me when I was stranded in the ocean over twenty years ago,” said Rayleigh, pouring his own drink. “That was when he was a child, though. Before he joined the Sun pirates.”</p>
<p>The cook lit his cigarette. “Still… Roger was executed twenty-two years ago. Surprised your head wasn’t on the chopping block, too. I thought the navy caught the entire crew.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We weren’t caught,” said Rayleigh. “Roger turned himself in.”</p>
<p>“The King of the Pirates turned himself in?!”</p>
<p>Zoro had heard this story before, obviously, but it wasn’t any less interesting. Almost <em>more</em> interesting, just based on what else they’d learned along the way. And…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Zoro wasn’t in the habit of thinking reflectively. Lining up ‘what ifs’ and going back on what he’d done or fearing what was to come in the future. Traveling through time hadn’t changed that, but it did make him think more.</p>
<p>After all, <em>they</em> sailed with the future King of the Pirates.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I never laughed as much as I did that night….or cried as much as I did that night…or drank as much as I did that night,” said Rayleigh, smiling. “Our captain lived one hell of a life.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro closed his eyes, resting against the stiff back of his chair. Rayleigh was saying he would coat their ship for free. Robin asked about the Void Century. Usopp asked about the legendary treasure—and Luffy cut him off with just as much vigor, this time <em>also</em> pointing to Zoro to make his point. He didn’t want the easy answers, after all. It took away the adventure.</p>
<p>Usopp stammered and agreed, and Zoro hummed to himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Do you think you can do it?” asked Rayleigh. “The Grand Line surpasses anything you can imagine. Your foes will be dangerous, too. Can you conquer this mighty sea?”</p>
<p>Luffy grinned suddenly and laughed. “I don’t want to conquer anything. It’s just the person with the most freedom in the entire ocean is the King of the Pirates.”</p>
<p>(Pure joy and terror as they emerged in the New World, surrounded by whales and dizzying lightning. A raging ocean of fire like they were at the gates of hell. And a familiar shout—“Bring it on!”)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A new era was coming, whether they wanted it to or not, and Zoro was beginning to think that Rayleigh was going to do exactly as he said he would and stay on the island. He might’ve known, the first time around. Or maybe not. And even though Ace was being punished for his father’s crimes, he had committed his own crimes by choosing this life. Rayleigh bid them farewell, armed with the equipment, and said he would see them in three days.</p>
<p>(Three days, two years, or…something in between.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro made eye contact with him, right before they walked away. “Be careful,” was all the old man had to say to him, the scar on his eye staring straight through him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yosh! Let’s get all the stuff for Fishman Island!”</p>
<p>The cook was looking at him, and Nami looked suspicious too, but Zoro didn’t say anything. All he could do at this point was hope his request would be granted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was tired.</p>
<p>He could feel his wounds reopening, burning his heart and lungs and muscles, but there wasn’t any <em>time</em> to take it easy. His body wasn’t at the capacity to take care of these Pacifistas quickly, not without taking it too far, not when he had to be ready for what was around the corner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A second observation:</p>
<p>Getting hit by Kizaru hurt like a <em>bitch</em>, sending sharp volts running through him, ripping through him, tearing up his body and making the world go fuzzy and black. Not that he <em>didn’t</em> want to see his own crew again, but it would be extremely inconvenient to be thrown unconscious now. He fought to stay in the present.</p>
<p>“Zoro!” yelled Usopp, and Zoro grimaced, trying not to scream. Stupid, fucking Admirals.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s Kizaru!” Robin’s voice came in sharp. “Be careful, he’s an Admiral!” Zoro was pretty sure both Brook and Usopp were panicking, but Zoro was currently trying not to vomit, so maybe his perception wasn’t that reliable.</p>
<p>It really had been made blurry by time, but <em>fuck</em> Thriller Bark messed him up.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m afraid it’s too late for you,” said Kizaru, and his voice was just as slow as he remembered. “Pirate Hunter Zoro. Kuzan mentioned you.”</p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t completely helpless, not like last time, but he could feel his body screaming in protest as he threw himself out of the way of one of Kizaru’s beams. His haki was always shakier like this, but the extra months of practice had helped.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Fuck,” Zoro grunted, his face tightening. He could feel the blood pooling in his mouth, warm and wet, and he was in absolutely no shape to be facing an Admiral. None of them were.</p>
<p>“Hmmm,” drawled Kizaru. “I’m not letting you get away that easily.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Pain</em>.</p>
<p>It exploded through him, not the full beam of light or he’d be dead, but enough that a scream ripped through Zoro’s throat, his right arm and right leg seizing with awful trembles, his ears were ringing, but he was able to make out—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re getting involved with this? Dark King Rayleigh?”</p>
<p>Thank fucking god. Zoro was so tired, he barely registered the yells coming from Luffy, and this wasn’t even <em>over</em> yet, Sabaody was such a <em>mess</em> and he was doing it for the <em>second goddam time—</em></p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>His vision blurred badly, and one of the Pacifistas was still running after them. Wait, running?</p>
<p>“Why are you <em>holding </em>me?!”</p>
<p>“Are you joking?!” yelled Usopp back. “We need to get out of here, these guys are crazy, did you know they were coming?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes,” grunted Zoro. “I can run fine, put me down.”</p>
<p>“No, you <em>can’t</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One of the Pacifistas was coming towards them, and Zoro gritted his teeth, coating Kitetsu in black and <em>swinging</em>, harder than he had before, enough force to rip one its stupid arms off. “Get <em>away</em> from us,” he hissed, his own arms screaming in pain.</p>
<p>“You shouldn’t be <em>fighting</em>!” yelled the cook, his eyes wide with barely concealed panic. “You haven’t recovered from whatever that stupid Warlord did—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m <em>fine</em>—”</p>
<p>“This is the <em>opposite</em> of fine!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Rayleigh and Kizaru were still fighting, but even with his improvements with Armament and Observation Haki, Luffy wasn’t nearly ready to deploy them in battle, even against this axe-wielding guy, and the Pacifista had been damaged but not destroyed, and it was aiming its beam now at Usopp and the cook—</p>
<p>“Wait, PX-1.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That cold, detached voice that he’d faced four times now. Zoro could barely move, not with the last attack, but was able to glance over. Kuma. The real Kuma. Holding the Bible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There’s another one!”</p>
<p>“What’s going on?!”</p>
<p>Zoro coughed and blood sputtered out, staining the grass. “The real one—” he managed to gasp, and Usopp, Brook, and the cook whirled around to stare at him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, you’re still alive, Roronoa.”</p>
<p>“Thanks to your mercy.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He could <em>hear</em> the cook and Usopp staring. Brook knew, though. Brook had seen what happened. Brook might even know what he’d said. </p>
<p>The others were getting closer now. They weren’t as spread out, weren’t as badly damaged, thanks to the attacks he’d been able to get in. But Zoro knew he couldn’t run fast enough away from the man who haunted him, the man who might be able to change everything.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?”</em>
</p>
<p>Zoro hoped this would be worth it. Hoped this man had enough honor, had enough of himself left. Hoped he remembered what Zoro asked of him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you could take a vacation,” Kuma took one of his gloves off, and Zoro prepared himself, ignoring his crew. Hopefully, he would see them soon. “Where would you like to go?”</p>
<p>“Enies Lobby,” said Zoro, and then he was gone.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What day of the week is it? I certainly don't know<br/>Let me know your thoughts! Things are definitely about to get *interesting* </p>
<p>Up next: The Strawhats attempt to have an actual plan for once; Sanji and Zoro have a real human conversation and the world doesn't end</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zoro sighed. He wasn’t explaining this well. “We all arrived on Sabaody,” he said, deciding just to start from the beginning. “We split up. Camie got abducted. Luffy punched a Celestial Dragon—”</p>
<p>“Actually, he kicked—”</p>
<p>“He punched a Celestial Dragon,” Zoro glared at Franky. “Everyone lost their shit, marines came, Kizaru came, the Pacifistas came, Kuma came, and then we were all split up. Sent to different islands spread out around the world. And then a few days later, we all got the news. The Whitebeard Pirates had waged war at Marineford. Whitebeard was dead, Ace was dead, and Luffy was presumed dead, too.”</p>
<p>Dead silence met him, as everyone processed those words, mouths dropping open in various states of confusion and horror.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Coughing and sputtering and nearly unconscious on the broken rubble of Enies Lobby, Zoro sincerely hoped he’d made the right decision. Because otherwise…</p>
<p>No, he told himself firmly. There wasn’t any use thinking of what he would’ve done differently. He needed—well, he needed some strong pain medication and maybe a few stitches, but he also needed to think this through. An Impel Down breakout was out of the question, but as long as Luffy reacted to everything the same, Jimbe would be released.</p>
<p>(And Luffy would still go through hell without them, almost for nothing, but Zoro didn’t even know <em>how</em> Luffy had gotten into Impel Down the first time. It seemed better to focus on Marineford.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He groaned and sat up, holding his right arm against his chest. <em>Fuck</em>. Kizaru had really targeted him this time, and not just because he was still injured. Aokiji must have noticed more than he let on when Zoro had faced him, noticed him using Haki. Well, it didn’t matter now.</p>
<p>Someone else was coming, Zoro noted. Thank God.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was Brook, crashing into the ground with a yelp, the dust rising up around him. “Zoro-san!” He sounded scared. “You’re—where are we?! What is this place?”</p>
<p>“Enies Lobby,” said Zoro, helping the skeleton up. “Or, what’s left of it. Hopefully everyone else is on their way too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hope—” Brook stopped himself. “I was so worried,” he said, with some level of forced calm. “Even before you vanished. I truly believed you would be killed.”</p>
<p>“Not yet,” said Zoro, putting his hand on Brook’s bony shoulder.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I saw what happened,” said Brook, and in that moment, just the two of them, he admitted it. “On Thriller Bark. The deal you made with Bartholomew Kuma. I can only hope to one day be as honorable and brave as you.”</p>
<p>Zoro felt his ears turn red. “You are honorable, Brook. You’ve proved that.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Zoro-san. That means very much to me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another person came shooting towards them, and Usopp shrieked as he landed, hitting the ground hard. “What—<em>Zoro! </em>Brook!”</p>
<p>“Usopp-san!” said Brook, sounding immensely relieved. “You’re alright!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m—” Usopp whirled his head around. “I thought you were gonna <em>die</em>!” He flung himself against Zoro, still trembling. “With that crazy yellow Admiral, and the Shichibukai—”</p>
<p>“Oi,” said Zoro. “I’m fine. We’re all going to be fine. Who should be after you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Who—” Usopp paused, and his eyes widened. “Is he sending <em>all</em> of us here?! But—probably Sanji, he was right next to me—”</p>
<p>As if prompted by fate, the cook came flying down from the sky, struggling desperately against the paw print that was guiding him towards the collapsed judicial island. “Fucking hell—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sanji-san!”</p>
<p>“Sanji!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The cook stared at them all and limped over. “What the <em>hell</em> is going on?!” he snapped, but his voice was shaky. He looked at the burned buildings and rubble. “Is this Enies Lobby?!”</p>
<p>“What—” Usopp started. “Why would he send us <em>here</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I asked him to,” said Zoro, squinting at looking up at the sky. Hopefully the others were on their way, too.</p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook jabbed a finger out. “Alright future dumbass, enough with all the stupid secrets. <em>What</em> is going on?!”</p>
<p>But then, there was a loud yell, and Franky fell on top of Usopp.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Ow</em>!”</p>
<p>“Sorry—Usopp?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not <em>trying</em> to be secretive,” said Zoro, ignoring them and Franky’s deluge of questions. “But can we wait for the others?”</p>
<p>“<em>Everyone’s</em> coming—”</p>
<p>“I don’t want to have to say it eight times!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was next, screaming as she landed, and she pounced on Zoro the same way Usopp had, clearly terrified. Then Chopper, who was completely unconscious.</p>
<p>“He turned into that monster form,” said Franky, shaking his head. “Totally out of control. Almost glad he got knocked out of it.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then finally, Robin. She looked shaken, peering around the destroyed remains of Enies Lobby and managing to tolerate the cook’s “ROBIN-CHWAN!” without much fuss. She looked upwards, like the rest of them, waiting for Luffy. But it didn’t seem like he was coming. Part of Zoro was grateful, the other part desperately wanted him there.</p>
<p>“I don’t think he’s coming,” said Zoro finally, steeling himself. Seven faces were staring at him with a range of expressions.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why not?”</p>
<p>“He should be on Amazon Lily.”</p>
<p>“The home of the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock?” asked Robin, surprise making its way through the fatigue. They were all too tired to move very much, even with the short rest that traveling in the air had provided. “The Island of All-Women?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The <em>what</em>?!” The cook and Brook and Usopp all yelled, causing Chopper to stir slightly and wearily open his eyes. Nami rolled her eyes, hitting all of them across the heads.</p>
<p>“And that’s why none of <em>you</em> would ever be allowed to visit.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t believe any men were allowed to step foot on the island,” said Robin. “Why Amazon Lily when the rest of us are here?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s where he went the first time.”</p>
<p>“The first time?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro sighed. He wasn’t explaining this well. “We all arrived on Sabaody,” he said, deciding just to start from the beginning. “We split up. Camie got abducted. Luffy punched a Celestial Dragon—”</p>
<p>“Actually, he kicked—”</p>
<p>“He <em>punched</em> a Celestial Dragon,” Zoro glared at Franky. “Everyone lost their shit, marines came, Kizaru came, the Pacifistas came, Kuma came, and then we were all split up. Sent to different islands spread out around the world. And then a few days later, we all got the news. The Whitebeard Pirates had waged war at Marineford. Whitebeard was dead, Ace was dead, and Luffy was presumed dead, too.”</p>
<p>Dead silence met him, as everyone processed those words, mouths dropping open in various states of confusion and horror.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Whitebeard—”</p>
<p>“Ace?!”</p>
<p>“LUFFY?!”</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know,” said Zoro, holding his hand up. “That’s pretty much how I reacted, too. None of us were there, we all just read about it in the newspaper. Didn’t know if Luffy was alive or not until he sent us a message telling us to meet him at Sabaody at two years instead of three days.”</p>
<p>“Two years…” breathed Nami, her eyes wide. “And Whitebeard…”</p>
<p>“So, Ace’s Vivre Card burning really <em>does</em> mean he’s in trouble!” said Usopp. “Does Luffy know? Why isn’t he here this time, then?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well…before Marineford, he staged the first ever mass breakout of Impel Down—”</p>
<p>“He <em>what</em>?!”</p>
<p>“He broke in <em>and</em> out of Impel Down successfully?” Robin shook her head. “Incredible. And then, I imagine, also entered Marineford? Just didn’t manage to do so in time to prevent the execution?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Execution?!” burst in Chopper, still sound woozy. “Ace is getting executed?!”</p>
<p>“That’s what I would assume by choosing Marineford.”</p>
<p>“There was a planned execution,” said Zoro. “But Ace wasn’t executed. He got free, and then put himself in between Luffy and Akainu. Died in Luffy’s arms.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another horrible, stifling silence hit him like a wall. Zoro remembered the day he found out, the horror hitting him as he sat on Mihawk’s island, the stinging grief and regret. He knew the others had to have felt the same way, even though they didn’t really <em>talk</em> about Marineford. Luffy never liked looking backwards, and Zoro didn’t really either, except here they fucking were.</p>
<p>“Shit,” muttered the cook finally, his face pale. “Why would the marines even <em>hold</em> an announced execution for someone like Ace? They had to know Whitebeard wouldn’t take that lightly.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro nodded slowly. “That’s another thing. A big reason for the execution…well, Ace and Luffy aren’t actually related. They just grew up together. Ace is the son of Gol D. Roger.”</p>
<p>“The son of—”</p>
<p>“WHAT?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay, so I know we asked for this,” said Usopp, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. “But this is seriously too much. Ace is the son of the Pirate King?! And he <em>died</em>?!”</p>
<p>“Not this time,” said Zoro, looking at them all seriously. “That’s why I wanted us all here. So we could actually do something about it, instead of reading it in a damn newspaper.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Because Enies Lobby is connected to both Impel Down and Marineford,” said Robin, putting the pieces together. “We would need to steal a ship, but it looks like it’s been mostly abandoned.”</p>
<p>“That’s what I was counting on.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hold up,” Franky was shaking his head. “So, Straw-Hat has a brother. Except he’s really the son of the Pirate King. And the <em>first</em> time you did….all of this, we were all separated, Ace died, and then we all just…stayed wherever that bear guy sent us? For two years?”</p>
<p>“Kuma sent us to places where we could train and get stronger. A lot stronger,” said Zoro. “And we needed that. The New World is no joke.”</p>
<p>“But why would he do that?” asked Brook. “What could he gain from that?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t really know,” said Zoro, because it was true. He didn’t. Even after learning more about Kuma, he didn’t have the full answer, and at this point he’d faced the guy down four separate times. “But he sent us here. And now we can do something about it.”</p>
<p>Another silence fell, and this time they all looked at each other. Zoro was sure he sounded crazy, but crazier things had happened, and at least they had a couple days to figure out some kind of plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Why didn’t you tell Luffy?” asked Nami.</p>
<p>“He didn’t want to know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami shook her head, muttering something about irresponsible captains. “Did you figure out whatever you needed to on Sabaody?”</p>
<p>“More or less,” said Zoro. “I met up with Marco, from the Whitebeard Pirates. So, hopefully they’ll have a better plan this time than just ‘run in and attack.’”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That sounds similar to our captain’s plan, no?” Robin asked, looking surprisingly unfazed. “But we need to be more subtle. Just the eight of us in terms of sheer manpower won’t be as impactful if we aren’t strategic.”</p>
<p>Bless Nico Robin. “Yeah, and uh, any help with that would be great, plans aren’t really my—”</p>
<p>“We know,” said nearly all of them in unison, as Brook just chuckled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Our best course of action is first for you to go over everything you know of what occurred before,” said Robin. “Despite not being present, I’m sure some of the details must have become public knowledge. Who was involved, how the information was broadcast, the details of Marineford itself—” She stopped herself, eyes scanning the broken buildings. “It might be a long shot, but I imagine that there could be a map of Marineford somewhere. That could be very useful.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We also should get medical supplies,” said Chopper, looking at Zoro and the cook without an ounce of subtlety. “And food.”</p>
<p>“And make sure there’s a ship,” added Franky.</p>
<p>They were right. It also meant they’d have a chance to process the shitload of information Zoro had just dropped on them and attempt to recover from the fight with the Pacifistas <em>before</em> getting involved on another battlefield.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin split everyone up, and somehow Zoro ended up with the cook, both with the instructions to locate a laundry list of items Chopper had given them, since Chopper himself was still immobile from using Monster Point. The cook looked sour about it, or as sour as he could look given that Robin-chan was the one telling him what to do, but Zoro highly doubted she’d divided them like that without some kind of purpose.</p>
<p>It wasn’t until they were deep into the wreckage with only a case of bandages to show for it that the cook finally spit it out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How’d you know?”</p>
<p>“What?” asked Zoro, because hell if <em>that</em> wasn’t vague, but the cook grimaced.</p>
<p>“In that dumb notebook. Vinsmoke.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh,” said Zoro. He’d forgotten about whatever he’d written in there, but now some of the cook’s reactions made sense. Or, more sense. “Well…they paid you a visit.”</p>
<p>The cook paled. Zoro was absolutely not the person he should be having this conversation with.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A visit?”</p>
<p>“Uh, sort of more like an abduction.” At first, anyway.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shit,” he muttered, avoiding eye contact. They were quiet for another minute or so, rummaging through the ruins. “Was anyone else involved?”</p>
<p>“Luffy went after you,” said Zoro. “And Nami and Chopper and Brook. The rest of us were caught up with something else. But he did get you to get your head out of your ass and come back.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook winced. “I didn’t think they’d ever come after me,” he said quietly, still keeping his eye turned downward. “They’re not my family.”</p>
<p>There were a lot of things Zoro could’ve said. He could’ve been angry, because he’d been angry at the time, angry that they were split between two Emperors for no good reason, angry that the cook didn’t think Luffy would come after him. But he’d also gotten over it. He could’ve said that family didn’t matter, except family did matter, as evidenced by the <strong><em>Vinsmoke Sanji</em> </strong>poster that the cook had gloated over but obviously hated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your bounty’s higher than mine.”</p>
<p>“My—wait <em>what</em>?!” His face broke out into a wide, mocking grin and <em>instantly</em> Zoro regretted it. “Oh, <em>is</em> it now?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shut up. I didn’t say anything.”</p>
<p>“You have to tell me what it is, then.”</p>
<p>“No fucking way.”</p>
<p>They argued like this the entire way back, after a box of various salves and pill bottles had been located, and Robin had that serene smile on her face as they joined the others. Of course she knew what she was doing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, c’mon, you said you weren’t going to keep anything else secret—”</p>
<p>“330,000,000 and 320,000,000.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cook froze, staring at Zoro incredulously. “You’re joking,” he said, forgetting to even gloat about the 10,000,000 difference. “You’re <em>joking</em>.”</p>
<p>“320—wait, those are your <em>bounties</em>?!” Usopp exclaimed, dropping the food he’d been holding. “No <em>way</em>, how high is Luffy’s then?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Guess,” said Zoro, his nose twitching involuntarily.</p>
<p>“Uh,” Usopp searched. “500,000,000.”</p>
<p>“Higher.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“600,000,000?” The cook guessed, as the others were getting closer, clearly curious.</p>
<p>“Higher.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What are we guessing? Luffy-bro’s bounty?”</p>
<p>“Oh, I didn’t even think about that,” said Nami. “Especially if he staged a mass break out of Impel Down! It’s got to be at least 400,000,000.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’re past that,” said Usopp, frowning. “If Zoro and Sanji are above 300,000,000.”</p>
<p>“<em>What</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp ignored the shriek. “800,000,000.”</p>
<p>“Higher.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now they were all staring again. “Not…” The cook’s swirled eyebrow was nearly into his hair. “Not 1 <em>billion</em>?!”</p>
<p>“No way,” said Nami immediately. “No way, that’s way too high—think of all the people that would be after us!”</p>
<p>“I think I forgot to mention my deadly can’t-be-near-bounty-hunters disease—”</p>
<p>“A billion?! That’s <em>super</em> crazy—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Higher,” said Zoro, because dammit he was having fun with this. Compared to the absolute shit show he was sure Marineford was going to be? This was incredible.</p>
<p>Total silence.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Higher…” said Chopper, staring up at him. “…. than one <em>billion</em>?”</p>
<p>“Oh my,” said Robin, hiding a chuckle behind her hand. “He must truly be making a name for himself.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mhm,” said Zoro, thinking of…well, thinking of several things. And then, just because their expressions were only going to get better—“1.5 billion.”</p>
<p>“ONE POINT—”</p>
<p>“FIVE—”</p>
<p>“BILLION?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“How terrifying!” Brook jumped up, as Chopper and Usopp both shrieked. “To sail under such a feared captain!”</p>
<p>“That’s <em>ten</em> times your bounty right now!” yelled Nami. “Even more than that! That’s over a <em>billion</em> more than <em>his</em> current bounty!”</p>
<p>The cook was still shaking his head, looking completely flabbergasted. “You’re <em>shitting</em> me,” he said, pure wonder in his voice. “That rubber bastard is worth 1.5 billion. That’s…wait, isn’t that <em>Yonko</em> level?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I think Shanks and Big Mom and Kaido are all in the four billion range,” said Zoro, deciding not even to mention the entire <em>Yonko</em> deal. “And we’ve currently pissed off <em>both</em> Big Mom and Kaido, so—”</p>
<p>“We’re fighting <em>two</em> Emperors?!” yelled Usopp, his eyes bulging out. “At the same time?! Are we completely <em>crazy</em> in the future?!”</p>
<p>“We have to be,” moaned Nami, looking despondent. “I’m almost more optimistic about Marineford…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s definitely batshit,” said Zoro. “But you should give yourselves more credit. Especially you, <em>God Usopp</em>. A two hundred million bounty doesn’t just happen to anyone.”</p>
<p>Zoro dearly wished he had some kind of camera to capture the sheer absurdity of Usopp’s face, frozen in the same terrifying expression that knocked Sugar unconscious, and the open-mouthed insanity from everyone else. Pure, trembling, complete <em>shock</em>. Robin chuckled.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“T-two h-hu—” Usopp seemed incapable of speech. “G-go—”</p>
<p>“Okay, that’s it,” said Nami. “Nothing else from you, Mr. Time Traveler. Not unless it has to deal with the mess we’re about to get ourselves into.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper had regained some motion and started looking at everyone’s collection of injuries, a high-pitched noise emitting from his throat as he looked at Zoro’s chest. “You need to take it <em>easy</em>—”</p>
<p>“After we save Ace,” said Zoro. “I will.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They ate, and Chopper gave him a high dose of <em>something</em> strong (the little reindeer was unhappy with him, to be sure, but Zoro was floating too much to really care), and then it was time to work out exactly what they were going to do that the entirety of the Whitebeard Pirates had been unable to do.</p>
<p>And make it out alive. Luffy would <em>murder</em> him if anyone else died in Ace’s place.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“From what I heard afterwards,” started Zoro, as they all sat around in the continuous daylight of Enies Lobby. “Almost the entire navy was there. Sengoku, all three Admirals, Garp, the Vice-Admirals, the Shichibukai, and loads of lower-level marines. Smoker, Tashigi. Then all of the Whitebeard Pirates and allies, and then everyone that Luffy broke out of prison with. Jimbe, Buggy, Crocodile, Ivankov—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“CROCODILE?!”</p>
<p>“Oh,” said Zoro. He remembered being taken aback too, although not as much compared to someone like <em>Buggy</em>. “Yeah, but apparently Ivankov has something on him? I don’t think he tried anything. Ivankov is one of the Revolutionaries.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Of course,” said Robin, looking remarkably unfazed at the mention of the man who’d attempted to kill her. “Emporio Ivankov. And the Knight of the Sea, Jimbe—”</p>
<p>“Yes,” said Zoro, cutting in when he realized what her question was going to be. “Luffy will ask him to join the crew. And he’ll eventually accept.”</p>
<p>“A Shichibukai as nakama?!” Usopp gulped, looking nervous. “The New World is different, huh?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro nodded. That was an understatement. “Ace was on the execution platform, I’m not sure how he got out of the seastone cuffs, but…”</p>
<p>“I can take care of that,” said Nami, her eyes hardening with determination, even as the cook and Usopp and Chopper immediately protested. “It makes the most sense. I don’t have a huge bounty, I’m not a Power Holder—they’re not going to notice someone like me. If I could get close enough, I could do it.”</p>
<p>“Speaking of Power Holders,” said Robin slowly, as Zoro tried not to panic <em>too</em> much at the idea of Nami being on the execution platform, too. She was looking at the map of Marineford that Brook had managed to locate. “This seems to be a lot of water for so many to be fighting on, even being high-level.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ice,” said Zoro. “It must have been Aokiji. All the photographs had the sea frozen.”</p>
<p>Robin hummed. “I see. And then, along with photographs, I imagine the marines would want to document the occasion otherwise, too? The death of the son of the King of the Pirates, a hopeful victory against Whitebeard—the idea is to end this age of piracy? Although they were apparently unsuccessful.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Whitebeard’s final words,” said Zoro, and even now, even after everything that happened, they still brought a shiver to his spine. “One Piece does exist. Broadcast to the entire world on transponder snails.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a moment of quiet. He’d meant it, to Nami beforehand. Era defining. Zoro had never met Whitebeard, but it was hard to hear that (along with the knowledge of his unscarred back) and <em>not</em> feel a huge wave of respect and reverence for the guy. Especially considering how shitty things had gotten after his death. Blackbeard was a nutcase.</p>
<p>“Shit…” said the cook quietly. “That’s…shit. Serves the government fucking right. They wanted to have some dumbass show.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Seems impossible that someone like Whitebeard could die,” said Nami, wrapping her arms around her knees and shivering.</p>
<p>“But the entire thing was broadcast?” Robin smiled, the kind of smile that <em>instantly</em> spelled trouble. “I believe we could use that to our advantage.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sun didn’t set, but they had some sort of plan in place. It was bare boned but stronger than anything they’d ever gotten Luffy to follow, and even with everything Zoro could offer, there was so much still unknown. They would leave for Marineford after sleeping some, hopefully timed before Whitebeard and Luffy’s hoard of inmates arrived.</p>
<p>The blindingly bright sunlight didn’t help, but Franky had fashioned some cover out of leftover materials, allowing some illusion of nightfall. Not that Zoro was particularly bothered—Chopper had given him another dosage after redoing several stiches—and his fingers and lips felt faintly numb. He was tired, after all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shall I play something, perhaps?” asked Brook, and he got several enthusiastic but exhausted responses. Ordinarily, nerves might take over, but they’d all been run to the ground. Literally.</p>
<p>Brook started to sing, something slow and melodic, and Zoro felt his eyes start to close. He was scared. He’d be stupid <em>not</em> to be scared, considering how things had gone the first time around. Considering that, the further they got into it, the less he would be able to predict the outcome.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He hoped Luffy wouldn’t be mad. Both Luffy’s.</p>
<p>It was dangerous, allowing himself to hope. Knowing that his own crew was still out there somewhere almost made things worse, especially now that Zoro was about to change so much. Would they even <em>exist</em>, if their interference at Marineford was successful? It had determined so much…would they just vanish? Or would they always be in another timeline two years ahead, cursed to forever live separately unless Zoro was knocked unconscious or he just…adjusted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Stopped thinking of the ‘other’ crew. Just focused on his own.</p>
<p>It was hard and too theoretical and distant for Zoro to think about, though, as he lulled towards sleep. Not when there was such a massive roadblock ahead of them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami squeezed his arm, and he nearly jumped but managed to hold off. “We’re going to be okay,” she whispered, and it wasn’t a question. A statement. “What Robin said made a lot of sense. It’s not our usual style, but…”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro, squeezing her arm back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You miss us, don’t you.” She didn’t word that as a question either. “The future us.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro again. “But this is good, too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He heard someone else twist around. “You said you switched places, right?” asked Usopp. He shuddered. “You’re probably better off, then. I can’t imagine if I went from Alabasta to fighting two <em>Yonko</em> at the same time. We didn’t even know what Yonko were.”</p>
<p>Zoro froze, because somehow, throughout all of this, he hadn’t even <em>considered </em>that. He hadn’t even thought about what it would be like waking up on a different ship surrounded by people who <em>looked</em> totally different in the middle of a war with Kaido. Shit, was <em>that</em> why his crew was acting so concerned?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro?”</p>
<p>“Uh…” said Zoro, wincing slightly. Oops. “Yeah, I didn’t really think about that. That’s uh…”</p>
<p>“You didn’t think about it at all? It’s <em>you</em>, you know.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wouldn’t it be funny if you didn’t notice you even time traveled?” Franky laughed, loud and sleepy at the same time. </p>
<p>“Even <em>Zoro</em> couldn’t be that dumb,” said Nami fondly, yawning and patting his head. “Now, go the fuck to <em>sleep</em>.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just our favorite pirate crew, planning to infiltrate a war!</p>
<p>Up next: Marineford and maybe one of my favorite chapters I've ever written</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Buggy was not having a good day.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>aka my interpretation of Marineford fix-it</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning was just as bright as the night had been, but they were all feeling significantly more well-rested and even Chopper was begrudgingly pleased with the progress Zoro’s wounds had made overnight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It sounds like Ace is leaving Impel Down tomorrow,” said Robin, holding the abandoned transponder snail she’d located that was proving to be incredibly useful already. “I haven’t heard anything about a prison breach. Perhaps we can assume that Luffy will arrive today?”</p>
<p>“Something like that,” said Zoro, wishing that he’d gotten more specific details, but this was what they had to work with.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franky had been busy all morning fixing up the marine ship left in the best condition, and while it was still burned and singed, Franky assured them with all of the spare wood left around that it would be able to sail just fine. Usopp was helping him, too.</p>
<p>“When we arrive,” said Robin, laying the map flat. “We’ll split into two groups. Group one will be tasked with infiltrating the broadcasting compound. Group two will hide the ship and prepare for accessing the executioner’s platform.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then you two join Luffy whenever he arrives,” said Nami, jerking her head and Zoro and the cook. “That combined with Whitebeard should be plenty distraction, but I won’t undo the handcuffs until the broadcast is taken over. Then no one should be watching us very carefully.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t their worst plan by a long shot, but it also had the potential of going horribly wrong in lots of different directions but saying that would be akin to stating the obvious. They had to do <em>something</em>, and this was by far more discrete than anything Zoro would’ve come up with.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The navy uniforms are a good touch,” said the cook, looking at what the girls had also managed to find. “Not that it disguises a cyborg or a skeleton well, though.</p>
<p>“Eh, they’ve got freaks in the marines, too.”</p>
<p>“Oi!” said Franky indignantly, glaring at both Zoro and the cook while Brook laughed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were really going to go to Marineford. It still seemed so surreal, even as they loaded the rest of their food provisions and medical supplies onto the ship. It wasn’t a lot by any means, but it would be enough to get them through the upcoming battle. Hopefully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp had also fashioned satchels out of fabric (“I am <em>not</em> wearing a purse!” the cook had protested, to no avail) which were to hold as much meat as they could stand to carry. It looked ridiculous, but even the cook folded at the explanation. Ace and Luffy would both need as much strength as possible.</p>
<p>Then it was time to set sail.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The currents should take us straight to Impel Down, and then to Marineford,” said Nami. “As long as we can convince someone to open the gates.”</p>
<p>“I think we can be very convincing,” said Robin lightly, and Zoro did not pity the poor fool who’d been placed on door duty. “They may not even question us, if we are arriving before the excitement. They’d probably be much more suspicious if we were arriving afterwards.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That would require us to be <em>lucky</em>, Robin,” said Usopp, shaking his head. “And with this crazy plan, we’re going to need enough luck as it is.”</p>
<p>No one argued with him on that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As it turned out, they experienced a mixture of both. <em>Everyone</em> was piling into Marineford, and they were hardly the only ship being let through, although they were the only ship to their knowledge with not a single marine present. They tried to keep up a flurry of activity as a ruse, so that no one was visible for too long and it wasn’t obvious that there were only eight members on board.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their luck held, and the ship creaked in, diverging from the swarm whenever it didn’t seem to obvious. All the marines were on edge though, and Zoro realized they weren’t even <em>considering</em> a smaller attack. It was all about Whitebeard.</p>
<p>They ventured deeper in to dock their ship, hoping it would be far enough away from the onslaught. And in any case, the burn marks were still visible. It wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Everyone know what they need to do?” asked Nami, after they went over the order of everything one last time. “It’ll be hard to get into contact when this gets started.”</p>
<p>Everyone looked nervous but nodded anyway. Zoro glanced over at Robin, Franky, and Usopp—the team tasked with hijacking the broadcast. He wasn’t sure which of them would be then using it to distract the higher-up marines, or how, but anything was better than giving Sengoku a stupid platform to try to justify his ‘justice.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You don’t remember how Luffy entered Marineford, do you?” asked Robin, and Zoro shook his head.</p>
<p>“No,” he said. “Maybe with Whitebeard somehow?”</p>
<p>“I’m sure it’s not too important,” said the cook, lighting a cigarette and blowing smoke out absently. “As long as we figure out when he gets here. This place is damn big.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy fell in from the <em>fucking sky</em>.</p>
<p>How he had forgotten to relay this, Zoro had no idea, but he was now among every other goddam person on Marineford watching a ship come crashing towards the newly formed ice, a familiar shriek echoing through the air.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The battle was already underway. Whitebeard had made…an entrance, and hopefully Robin, Franky, and Usopp had done what they needed to with the transponder snails. Chopper and Brook were doing damage elsewhere—removing ammunition, relaying incorrect orders, and generally slowing down the swell of troops—while also keeping an eye on Nami, who was on the execution platform in disguise. The same platform that Sengoku, Garp, and Ace were currently on, although with the shitstorm currently going on, Zoro highly doubted any of them were paying attention to the executioners themselves.</p>
<p>It still made him nervous.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ACE!!!!” screamed Luffy, the sound reverberating even with the battle continuing.</p>
<p>The cook moaned in anguish. “How did this moron get into the <em>sky</em>?!”</p>
<p>“Your guess is as good as mine,” said Zoro, as they started running towards where the ship was falling. “For fuck’s sake.”</p>
<p>“ACE!!!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>From this distance, Ace did <em>not</em> look happy to see Luffy there. “LUFFY?!?” Garp and Sengoku looked equally as upset, which <em>good</em>.</p>
<p>“GARP! IT’S YOUR DAMN FAMILY AGAIN!”</p>
<p>“LUFFY!!!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Please tell me Luffy isn’t about to pick a fight with <em>Whitebeard</em> too,” the cook hissed, as they dodged several attacks running on the ice. “Oh my god, he totally is. Dumbass captain—”</p>
<p>“Whitebeard didn’t kill him the first time.”</p>
<p>“But what if this time—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Whitebeard did not kill Luffy. Actually, he seemed to sort of like him, which Zoro would take at this point. <em>Damn</em> there were a lot of people swarming around, buzzing around like annoying flies. Zoro was decidedly <em>avoiding</em> where the Shichibukai were congregated unless he had too. Kuma <em>and</em> Mihawk? He wasn’t really in the mood.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He really had to think it, didn’t he.</p>
<p>He just had to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He’d forgotten about <em>another </em>Warlord he really wasn’t in the mood to see right now, although at least he wasn’t actively trying to kill them. “Fuffuffuffu—this is more <em>interesting</em> than I thought it would be!”</p>
<p>“Fuck,” muttered Zoro sourly, eyeing where everyone else was. The stupid flamingo bastard wasn’t <em>close</em> really, but he was still too close for comfort, and it was only seeing another vaguely familiar figure off to the side that gave Zoro an idea.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He lunged forward, gripping the flat side of Shusui and coating it with Armament Haki and the force lifted Crocodile out from the fray he was in the middle in and sent him flying straight into Doflamingo. Neither of them looked very happy about this, and Zoro had to hand it to the ex-Shichibukai. Even with dumb powers like <em>sand</em>, Crocodile was always ready to fucking fight someone, and he didn’t seem preoccupied with who had batted him over.</p>
<p>“<em>Doflamingo—</em>"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What the fuck was <em>that</em>?!” yelled the cook, as they ran past the two of them, already in the middle of an argument. “Wait, is that <em>Crocodile</em>?!”</p>
<p>“Keep moving, love-cook!”</p>
<p>“Stupid time-traveling moss—Oh, there he is!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Luffy!” called out the cook, as they got closer. Luffy was already swinging his fists. “Oi, Luffy!”</p>
<p>Luffy paused, frowning and ducking an incoming blow. “Did someone—<em>Sanji</em>?! Zoro?!”</p>
<p>His eyes widened, face morphing into delight and <em>relief</em>, hard and heavy. Two rubbery arms stretched towards them, and then they were both mowed over, flatted by a laughing rubber madman. Zoro knew instantly that he wasn’t at his full strength, either. “What are you doing here?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Aren’t you the one telling us not to go running off on our own?” answered the cook gruffly, wiping dirt off his suit. “You thought you could get away doing this by yourself?”</p>
<p>Luffy grinned and Zoro pretended not to notice the tears gathering at the edge of his eyes. “Is…Everyone else…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t worry, captain,” said Zoro, putting his arm on Luffy’s back. There were more enemies to face, now, catching up to them. “Let’s get your brother back.”</p>
<p>“Yosh,” Luffy’s eyes narrowed, that damn intensity that made marines run in the other direction, that wild ferocity that was just so <em>fun</em> to witness in its chaotic glory. “Let’s go!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fighting next to Luffy required perfect precision, because fighting next to Luffy was like fighting next to a rabid octopus with too many limbs that went in too many directions, impossible to predict and impossible to avoid. Luckily, Zoro had a lot of practice.</p>
<p>It felt <em>good</em>, every time he managed to forget how things ended in his timeline. It felt good until he looked at Luffy’s unscarred chest, looked over at Ace desperately sitting on the execution platform, looked at the unparalleled devastation and carnage of the battlefield for…well, hopefully for nothing. In an ideal world, it’d be for <em>nothing.</em></p>
<p>That was sort of depressing, Zoro managed to think, before he struck metal against metal and embraced the sound.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But they were doing well, or at least they weren’t doing badly, so much movement that everything turned into a vague blur of steel and rubber and kicks, and Zoro wasn’t sure how much time had passed or what even had <em>happened</em> until he heard Sengoku’s voice ring loud and clear across the entirety of Marineford.</p>
<p>“Portgas D. Ace,” His voice rumbled, low and growling. “The death of this man holds great significance. Ace! Tell me the name of your father!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shit!” The cook was panting, out of breath. “I thought they’d have gotten into the control room by now! Unless that snail is on a different frequency?!”</p>
<p>Zoro was worried too, his heart thudding. A big part of this was riding on a second distraction, something big enough to tear Sengoku away from Ace. Shit, that might mean they needed to improvise with Luffy—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But then there was a squeak of static, and another intimately familiar voice started to speak, echoing somehow with even more grandiose vigor than even the Fleet Admiral himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, the father of Portgas D. Ace!” boomed Usopp dramatically. “One of the greatest mysteries that left even the most brilliant marines puzzled, that confused even Whitebeard himself! What man could claim a pirate such as Fire-Fist Ace as his own?!”</p>
<p>Sengoku’s face was frozen in the kind of stupefied horror that was usually only found in bizarre nightmares, as he stared at the transponder snail that was apparently no longer listening to him. Many of the battles had stopped now, as everyone turned towards the Fleet Admiral, and then elsewhere in search of the strange voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is that Usopp?!” asked Luffy wildly, looking around. “Where is he? What’s he talking about?”</p>
<p>Zoro wanted to know the answer to that, too. He wasn’t sure what they were planning as the distraction, only that it needed to be suitably <em>distracting</em>, but—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“A man who eluded the recognition of the World Government for years! A man who spread his influence in the shadows of the Underworld, who set up secretly in the weakest of the Blue Seas, biding his time. Uttering his name brings terror into the hearts of even the strongest men! A man who is on <em>this battlefield today</em>, leading a dastardly plot with the infamous rookie Straw Hat Luffy, to break out of the world’s strongest prison, Impel Down, just to save his beloved son!”</p>
<p>No…no <em>fucking</em> way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The rival of the Emperor Shanks!” Usopp’s voice somehow got louder, magnified and echoing in the dumbstruck crowd. “The man who sailed under the Pirate King! Yes, the father of Fire-Fist Ace is none other than the notorious villain Buggy the Clown!”</p>
<p>Silence, complete stupefied silence followed, and Zoro was so close to wheezing with laughter that he felt tears prickle in his eyes. Usopp was fucking genius.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami had been so stiff and scared for what felt like <em>hours</em> now, that when Usopp began speaking she nearly passed out with relief. But also, another wave of fear, because this would be when it was time to act.</p>
<p>“Get ready to move,” muttered Nami, getting as close to Ace as she dared. Ace started, evidently not expecting a woman’s voice, but then he scowled, eyes flickering nervously.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Get ready to move,” repeated Nami. “But don’t like burst into flames or anything, we’re being subtle.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” Ace asked again, caught between listening to whatever the hell Usopp was saying and his apparent executioner. “Wait, <em>Nami?!</em>”</p>
<p>“Shut up,” hissed Nami, and then Usopp’s ridiculously over-the-top voice was too much for her to ignore. “What is he—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, the father of Fire-Fist Ace is none other than the great villain Buggy the Clown!”</p>
<p>What the <em>fuck</em>?!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami very dearly wished she had some camera, to capture the stunned expression on Sengoku’s face, his eyebrow twitching with complete and utter disbelief. A distinctly clownish shriek echoed from the vast crowd, and Nami so wanted to see Buggy’s reaction, but shit people were starting to look at <em>them</em> now, and Ace was <em>not</em> selling it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“React,” she hissed, as quiet as possible. “Ace, make ‘em believe it!”</p>
<p>Ace was still for another half second, because what could <em>possibly</em> be going through his head at the moment, but then he <em>howled</em>, a loud wail that might’ve passed as sobs if Nami wasn’t literally standing right next to him. He took in a deep breath, forcing his expression into something twisted and anguished.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tears rolled down his face, but they were <em>absolutely</em> tears of hysteria, and he doubled over again. “DAD!” Ace screamed, cutting into the stunned silence like a knife. “YOU CAME FOR ME! EVEN THOUGH I TOOK THE MARK OF WHITEBEARD, YOU CAME FOR ME!”</p>
<p>It was like an explosion followed. Everyone started yelling and running around wildly, and Nami could only imagine how the rest of the world was reacting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And that!” boomed Usopp, his voice somehow even more smug. “Is the gospel truth from God himself!”</p>
<p>Garp was choking on those damn crackers he’d been munching on, his face literally turning blue, and Sengoku looked like he was about to have aneurysm.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace threw himself forward again, presumably out of sheer grief, but he was still crying with desperate laughter. Nami moved towards him, looking every bit like a guard moving a prisoner away from the edge, and Sengoku didn’t even look at them he was so gob smacked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She carefully picked the lock as she moved him backwards, hearing the familiar <em>clink</em> of pins falling into place with an enormous wave of satisfaction. “No fire,” she reminded. “Stay very still.” She gripped her Clima-Tact, glad she’d had so long at least to send so many cool and hot balls into the air.</p>
<p>But they needed Sengoku to actually <em>leave</em>, or the Mirage Tempo wouldn’t do much good—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“BUGGY!” roared Whitebeard. “IS THIS TRUE? ARE YOU TRULY THE FATHER OF MY BELOVED ACE?!”</p>
<p>“Not him <em>too</em>,” growled Sengoku, shattering his transponder snail in a fit of rage. “WHITEBEARD—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That would do it. “<em>Mirage Tempo</em>,” Nami whispered, and their images reflected onto the execution platform as they moved away from it. Ace flexed his wrists carefully, looking at Nami with no small amount of wonder.</p>
<p>“This is a dream. It has to be.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Unfortunately, not,” said Nami dryly, still sweating until they could get further away. “I can’t believe he pinned it on <em>Buggy</em>, I can’t believe anyone would be stupid enough to believe that—”</p>
<p>A chorus of yells of disbelief seemed to mock and prove her wrong.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You know, I <em>did</em> hear something about Buggy the Clown and that Straw Hat kid!”</p>
<p>“And he said they were brothers, didn’t he?!”</p>
<p>“But then where does Captain Smoker fit in?! Do you think he knew?!”</p>
<p>“They must be half-brothers!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami bit back a wheeze. The mirage was going to flicker soon, but Sengoku had gone directly for Whitebeard, Garp was receiving medical aid and a line of oxygen from two harassed-looking marines, and none of the Admirals were near them. Yet, anyway. And if they’d got the timing right—</p>
<p>
  <em>BOOM</em>
</p>
<p>Several cannonballs exploded from the back of Headquarters, firing on the already overly astonished crowd, causing even more screams of distress. Nami could hear a faint bellow of “<em>Who</em> ordered you to fire?!”, but there was even more confusion now and Nami dropped the mirage, climbing over the scaffolding like a monkey. To any onlooker, Portgas D. Ace had simply vanished.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper and Brook should be done now, heading back towards the ship now that they’d gotten what they needed. Hopefully Robin, Franky, and Brook were too, and then the final three would be coming up from the battlefield.</p>
<p>“Okay,” she said breathlessly, checking the condition of the clouds. Nami had been slower and more patient than usual, and unless there was someone very keen on cloud-watching down below, no one would be any wiser. “We’re going up.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Up?” Ace still looked stunned, and Nami found the chunk of meat from her purse and tossed it to him. He accepted it but didn’t look any less confused. “What’s going—wait, my crew—”</p>
<p>“Marco knows,” said Nami, nudging him up the tower-like scaffolding behind the execution platform. “Hopefully they’re retreating—”</p>
<p>“Marco?” repeated Ace faintly. Nami did feel bad for him, except he <em>had</em> gotten them into this mess. “What?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We’ll talk about it later,” said Nami bluntly. “We’ve got one last thing to do. And this is where I’ll need your help.” She gestured to the vast swarth of ice. “It sure would be problematic if all this ice melted with so many Devil Fruit User’s, wouldn’t it?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace stared at her. “Melt…the ice?”</p>
<p>“Melt the ice,” confirmed Nami, glancing up at the clouds. “Is it starting to feel warmer to you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The correct answer to that was yes, it was. The temperature was increasing more rapidly now, and Nami was sweating more profusely, wiping away moisture from her face. “That’s what your crew has been working on this whole time. With enough cracks in the ice, a blast of fire should do the trick, right?”</p>
<p>“A—” Ace stopped himself from repeating her again, settling for looking thoroughly confused. “So, they’re trying to weaken the ice that they’re standing on, and then you want <em>me</em> to try to <em>melt</em> it? On purpose?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy wouldn’t have asked <em>nearly</em> as many questions. “Yes,” said Nami, and this was really testing the limits of her patience. She’d been terrified for such an extended period of time that now she had no room for fear anymore. They were just going to do what they needed to do.</p>
<p>“But I can’t swim.”</p>
<p>Nami sighed. “Neither can the Fleet Admiral or Admirals. But that’s why I’m with you, and that’s why Zoro and Sanji are staying close to Luffy, and that’s why we need to get moving so that we keep the element of surprise—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You shouldn’t have come,” interrupted Ace, some of the confusion in his face drifting towards anger. “Bringing Luffy here?! You’re all going to get yourselves killed, and I’m not worth that—”</p>
<p>“Oh, it would’ve been better if Luffy was here by himself?” snapped Nami. “’Let Luffy—you think we <em>let </em>him do anything? You thought he would just do <em>nothing</em>? I’ve known him for much less longer than you have, and even I know that’s just stupid. You want so badly to die for everyone—try <em>living</em> for everyone instead of being so selfish.”</p>
<p>Ace’s mouth had dropped open, and Nami wasn’t sure if he was going to try to argue with her again, but he nodded mutely and climbed up with her.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This plan relied on a lot of things. It relied on the ice weakening enough, it relied on Ace being strong enough to send a blast of fire without anyone stopping them, it relied on the increasingly oppressive heat—actually, Nami wasn’t going to think about it. Everything would be fine, everything—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“NOOOOOO!” Luffy’s scream echoed through Marineford, along with something <em>else</em> that slammed into Nami with the force of the sea train. She gasped for air, suddenly dizzy, but she somehow managed not to pass out.</p>
<p>“Luffy!” Ace was looking around wildly, trying to see through the cloudy haze. Nami was trying to <em>see</em> period. “That was Luffy, was that—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>People were falling to the ground, passing out in massive quantities, and they didn’t have <em>time</em> to figure out what was going (Luffy, what the fuck?!), they’d have time to be scared later.</p>
<p>“We have to act now,” she urged, grimacing. What <em>was</em> that?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But Luffy just used Conqueror’s—”</p>
<p>“I don’t <em>care</em>, there are people counting on us!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ace shook himself out of it, a strange mix of fear and pride on his face. “Don’t know what could’ve triggered it,” he muttered, and then he burst into flames, enormous red and orange flames that were searing hot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Warn me first!” yelled Nami, taking a step back. They were very high up. Nami reminded herself to be scared later.</p>
<p>“It’s a lot of ice!”</p>
<p>“Stupid, stupid brothers,” Nami closed her eyes and steadied herself. When she opened them, anyone looking at her wouldn’t have seen an ounce of fear. “Let’s go!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They jumped, the air blistering hot around them, the ice still a massive white blur, and Nami prayed to whoever was listening for this to <em>work</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Garp’s morning had started with the assumption that Ace was going to die. He didn’t really see an alternative, didn’t see how the kid would get out of it, and so he’d been steadfastly ignoring the aching pain in his chest. Ace had brought this on himself, he tried to tell himself. He’d chosen to be a pirate.</p>
<p>It wasn’t working.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His morning had gotten significantly <em>worse</em> when his other goddamn grandchild had fallen from the sky with a warship, two ex-Shichibukai, and a hoard of Impel Down prisoners because Luffy had <em>broken in and out of Impel Down</em>. If Garp wasn’t so terrified, he’d be proud.</p>
<p>It had continued to get worse when Sengoku was preparing to announce the truth of Ace’s heritage, but then someone calling themself ‘God’ had intercepted the airwaves and proceeded to tell everyone that Ace’s <em>true</em> father was some fucker named Buggy the Clown, and Garp hadn’t stopped laughing since.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Well, he stopped laughing when he briefly passed out from laughing too much, but that didn’t count. And if anyone asked why he hadn’t done anything about Ace mysteriously vanishing from the execution platform? He’d probably tell them Ace must have learned it as a circus trick. A <em>clown</em> trick.</p>
<p>Garp started wheezing again. The medics assigned to him weren’t pleased.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Buggy was not having a good day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Had Whitebeard been a little confused when Marco had returned from the Sabaody Archipelago talking about time travelers? Sure, a little bit. But he’d been around the Grand Line for a long time, and something as trivial as time travel wasn’t going to faze him. He was more upset by the idea that they would <em>lose</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He vaguely remembered that Roger had some little squirt with a red nose, and that he’d always been arguing with Shanks, but goodness that was quite a young age to have a child.</p>
<p>Ace’s face had been very memorable, as had the rest of his children’s faces, before he’d started loudly crying, professing his grief for his ‘father’ breaking out of Impel Down for him. It was all very touching, and Whitebeard grinned.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“BUGGY! IS THIS TRUE? ARE YOU TRULY THE FATHER OF MY BELOVED ACE?!” He yelled, and some guy in a clown’s outfit looked like he was about to shit himself. Had to be Buggy, then.</p>
<p>“What—” Buggy squeaked, wildly looking around at everyone staring at him. “I—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“WHITEBEARD!” Sengoku yelled, and <em>ooh</em> good, this had finally gotten the damn Fleet Admiral to decide Whitebeard was worthy of his attention. He was coming towards them, looking properly infuriated and embarrassed. “YOU KNOW THIS ISN’T TRUE! YOU KNOW HIS TRUE FATHER—”</p>
<p>“I WILL TAKE ANY WORDS AGAINST BUGGY THE CLOWN PERSONALLY!” roared Whitebeard back, hoping the faint shake of his laugh wasn’t obvious. It probably was. “AS HE IS THE BIRTH FATHER OF MY SON—”</p>
<p>“HE IS <em>NOT</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is this true?” asked Borsalino mildly, ignoring the small-time pirate who was unwisely pelting him with something. Bullets, perhaps? He brushed the man away.</p>
<p>“No way in hell,” said Sakazuki, sounding deeply annoyed. “He’s the Pirate King’s son, alright. This is just some stupid distraction.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That Sengoku is falling for?”</p>
<p>Sakazuki looked waspish, magma bubbling up around his tattoos.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not sure,” commented Kuzan. “I did overhear something about Buggy the Clown as well as Captain Smoker in relation to Straw Hat Luffy. He and Fire-Fist do claim to be brothers, after all.”</p>
<p>“Everyone here is a moron,” grumbled Sakazuki, and Borsalino batted away another feeble attack attempt. “I’m going after Straw Hat.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But then—</p>
<p>Ice does not make for a very firm battleground. Even if said ice is produced by a marine Admiral. No one saw the fire coming until they were plunged into the sea.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was surrounded by the frigidly cold seawater, and he was terrified, trying to force his tired limbs to move faster. He could still smell burning flesh, could heard Luffy’s scream echoing in his brain, and he was going to <em>murder</em> the cook the second he got his hands on him.</p>
<p>Why did he have to be such a self-sacrificial idiot? Why couldn’t he see that his life was worth <em>more</em> than just dying for?!</p>
<p>Zoro clenched his teeth, Luffy limp in his left arm, and he pulled with his right arm until he managed to find the shithead. Thank God.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Akainu, the absolute fucker, was still under the water too, although several marines without Devil’s Fruits Powers were starting to come to their senses. They wouldn’t have a very large window of time to make an escape.</p>
<p>Zoro kicked to the surface and gasped for air, the cold stinging his face. Luffy and the cook were both unconscious. He floated, looking around until he caught sight of familiar orange hair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Never…again…” Nami gasped, shivering wildly. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What’s…wait, why is Sanji out too?! Oh—” She saw the injury and her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh <em>no</em>—”</p>
<p>“Where are they?” asked Zoro tersely. “We can’t keep holding them—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ship was coming, barreling through the remaining chunks of ice and aimed straight towards them. Relief nearly brought him back under the water, but Zoro remained steady, kicking closer to Nami who had Ace draped over her shoulders. She winced; her eyes widened with fear.</p>
<p>“Shit,” she said hoarsely, looking at the burn. “<em>Shit</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Akainu had made his way towards them, face burning with fury. He wasn’t going to get pulled away like Sengoku, and even as Zoro had readied himself, drawing his swords, Akainu had <em>swerved</em> and gone straight towards Luffy but then the cook had gotten in the way—</p>
<p>It hadn’t been a direct hit. Not like the gruesome images that circulated after Ace’s death. But Luffy had still screamed, a wave of Conqueror’s Haki sharp and untamed ripping through the crowd violently, and even Akainu had to take a step back before finishing the job. That step back had saved their lives.</p>
<p>And then the ice cracked, and everything was dark.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro!” called out Chopper fearfully, as the ship got closer. “Nami!”</p>
<p>Zoro all but threw Luffy and the cook on board, soaked and cold to the bone, and then he took Ace away from Nami and threw him up too, injuries be dammed. They were in much more danger being exposed now, and once Zoro and Nami climbed on board the ship aimed straight towards the sea.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where’s that ship going?!”</p>
<p>“It’s the Straw Hats! They’re escaping with Fire-Fist!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But the Whitebeard Pirates were still there, including Whitebeard himself, and there wasn’t any time for anyone to do anything except blankly stare at the marine ship sailing away towards open waters. Broadcast for the world to see.</p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t sure if he <em>imagined</em> Sengoku’s scream of rage, but it was entirely possible. There was a flurry of motion with the objective being to <em>sail as fast as humanly possible</em>, and Nami was up again, barking orders. She’d been incredible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sanji!” Chopper shrieked, fluttering towards them looking enormously concerned. “How did this happen?!”</p>
<p>The burn looked worse now that they were escaping. Stark red against his skin, the crusted flesh mixed with the fabric from his suit jacket, bubbles of skin and blood staining the wound. It covered his entire left torso, hip to collarbone, like a giant handprint.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For his part, Luffy’s shoulder was burned almost as badly, red and bubbling. Zoro felt nauseous.</p>
<p>He should’ve been faster. He should’ve been more <em>alert</em>; how could he have let Akainu get so close? Why did Sanji <em>throw</em> himself—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy coughed, and seawater exited his lungs in a rush. “San—everyone?! Where’s—”</p>
<p>And then Ace coughed, and Luffy threw himself on top of him, sobbing loudly. “Ace! I thought you were gonna die!”</p>
<p>“Luf—” And then Ace was hugging him back, tears pouring out of his eyes. “You shouldn’t have come after me, dummy!” But there was no malice in his voice, nothing but pure relief.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chopper was already a flurry of motion, setting Sanji up on a fold-out table and preparing antiseptic, bandages, and a long pair of tweezers. He hadn’t woken up yet, and Zoro still wanted to kill him but he recognized that it hadn’t been a death blow when it very well could’ve been. They were all alive, somehow, and that was the important part.</p>
<p>Marineford was gradually appearing more distant behind them, as Nami guided them (Zoro supposed) back towards Sabaody. They wouldn’t be able to stay there, not with the entire world looking for them, but they’d made it off the battlefield. They were <em>alive</em>.</p>
<p>Despite his trembling limbs and the burning fear in his throat, Zoro allowed himself to smile as he listened to Ace and Luffy sob against each other and the cook’s faint but steady heartbeat. They were alive.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>if it wasn't completely obvious, I had way too much fun writing this chapter. hooooopefully you enjoyed it too?</p>
<p>Up next: Zoro's 'luck' in not mentioning his wildly bad interpretations of the future in Wano is about to run out. aka - it's reveal part 2 time</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“I thought you knew,” said Zoro, his stupid brows furrowing. “Robin mentioned it. It must’ve come up, since you both of have Yonko as parents—”</p>
<p>“What?” Sanji’s voice came out hoarsely. His brain couldn’t compute what the shithead was saying; it was like the words and meaning were totally disconnected. “Both Yonko—what?”</p>
<p>Zoro looked annoyed. “Why are you acting like I wouldn’t have picked up on that?” He moved to stand up, and Chopper didn’t stop him, standing just as still and confused as Sanji was. </p>
<p>“I’m not stupid.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so I feel like *my* favorite part of time travel fics are the chaotic, dramatic reveals so here's my best attempt! it's wano time my dudes</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sanji was sitting on the deck of Sunny, staring up at the indigo velvet sky above Wano, smoking and contemplating the absolute shit-show that had been the past twelve hours. Every time Sanji thought he got a grasp on the moronic, infuriating mass that was one <em>Pirate Hunter</em>, it was pulled out from underneath him, twisting into something stranger and worse.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That morning, things had almost reached something like <em>normal</em>, and it wasn’t normal exactly but none of their lives were ever normal, so he’d ignored it. Sanji had ignored it, like a dumbass. Memory problems, it was so <em>obvious</em> in hindsight. The impact of the strange explosion none of them had witnessed?</p>
<p>His fingers burned white hot, and Sanji cursed. The end of the cigarette came too quickly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And now, none of them knew how to bring it up. Especially since Luffy wasn’t concerned at all, not even <em>curious</em>, just sort of confused when he asked why everyone was acting so strangely.</p>
<p>“It’s just Zoro,” he said, in that stupid, obvious voice. They’d given up including him in discussions after that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro dove in the ocean because he didn’t think Sanji was capable, then before Sanji could even yell at him properly about <em>that</em> the fucker had a heart attack, and then he asked if he was <em>dead</em>, and then he was in a weirdly good mood and talking to Jimbe and Law again like everything was perfectly fine, and then Sanji had walked in on him <em>apparently having another goddam heart attack</em> on the floor.</p>
<p>He was trying to tell him something, but the words came out as gasps, and then he was unconscious again. Chopper was beside himself, everyone was on edge, and then Zoro acted like nothing had happened.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was back in the medical bay, and everyone else was just as lost and detached as he felt, wandering aimlessly waiting for <em>some</em> kind of diagnosis. Any kind of explanation that wasn’t Zoro insisting he was <em>fine</em> when he was so clearly <em>not fucking fine</em>.</p>
<p>“I’m glad you found him,” muttered Usopp, approaching Sanji cautiously. Sanji didn’t answer but lit another cigarette, blowing a pale cloud of smoke towards the faint stars.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then the gentle scents of Nami-san and Robin-chan joined them, and it was a testament to how tired Sanji was that he didn’t immediately stand and offer them his seat. Zeff would kick him.</p>
<p>“We have to do something,” said Nami, sounding stressed. “Something’s seriously wrong with him.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m beginning to wonder if there’s not something more nefarious at play here,” said Robin. “What words did he manage to relay to you before collapsing?”</p>
<p>Sanji grimaced. “Something like ‘it’s not me’ and then ‘I’m on’, but it didn’t make any sense.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin frowned. “I’m wondering…” she began carefully. “If the issue is not one of <em>memory</em> but one of inhabitation.”</p>
<p>“What?” asked Usopp, and the three of them were staring at Robin’s strange expression.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There are Devil Fruits with a vast array of powers,” said Robin. “But as we’ve seen, Zoro has been able to occasionally remember things that would suggest he <em>hadn’t</em> suffered any injury to the brain. And besides, both Chopper and Trafalgar Law have yet to see any physical evidence. I wonder, then, if there is something more sinister at play. A Devil Fruit with the power to control minds from afar? To inhabit a body and control it like a puppet? A scheme of infiltration?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Robin, you can’t be serious!” Nami exclaimed. “There’s no way Zoro is <em>possessed</em>.”</p>
<p>It was absurd. It was totally ridiculous. But…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sugar’s power on Dressrosa turned people into dolls and made the whole world forget about them,” said Usopp, uncomfortably. “What if….what if there <em>was</em> a fruit capable of total mind control? Like possession?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It would be terrifying,” said Robin, like she wasn’t the one who brought it up. Sanji suddenly felt nauseous. “It would also be an incredibly useful way to gain information on one’s enemies. Perhaps the changes in personality we’ve noted are examples of the user not possessing a full grip on Zoro’s mental and physical faculties—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He <em>cannot</em> be possessed, Robin!”</p>
<p>“Zoro’s possessed?” Franky’s voice boomed, and Sanji twitched. “Always knew it. That kid’s got some kind of demon—”</p>
<p>“Not <em>demonic</em> possession—and he’s not possessed anyway!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sanji closed his eyes, trying to ignore all of them. He didn’t think his brain was capable of dealing with this right now, and so when Brook <em>and</em> Jimbe both also floated over, hearing Franky’s increasingly wild theories, Sanji stood up and retreated inside. If he happened to pass by the med bay, well, then he could at least see if the mosshead managed to not have a third fucking heart attack.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro looked irritated. Good.</p>
<p>“I told you,” he was insisting to Chopper, who did not look impressed. “I’m <em>fine</em>, I don’t know why everyone’s freaking out, I was just napping—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“YOU WERE HAVING A HEART ATTACK!”</p>
<p>Zoro looked unfazed. “Sure, you <em>say</em> that,” he grumbled, shuffling in the blankets. “I thought we were supposed to start shit with some dragons tonight.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“The army of dragons.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Army of <em>what</em>, thought Sanji, because sure, there was a lot of weird stuff happening on Wano, but if anything, they were dealing with an army of dinosaurs not <em>dragons</em>, and if it had been a different day, Sanji would’ve let it go. Chalked it up as being one of those weird Zoro things.</p>
<p>But this wasn’t the first time Zoro had mentioned something strange about dragons. And this wasn’t a normal day.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Army of dragons, right,” said Sanji. “Being led by Kaido.”</p>
<p>“Luffy’s dad.”</p>
<p>Luffy’s—wait, <em>what</em>?!</p>
<p>“What?” said Sanji blankly, unable to come up with a better response than that. “Luffy’s—” He looked over at Chopper, just to make sure he wasn’t totally imagining this. But, no, Chopper was equally as confused.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I thought you knew,” said Zoro, his stupid brows furrowing. “Robin mentioned it. It must’ve come up, since you <em>both</em> of have Yonko as parents—”</p>
<p>“What?” Sanji’s voice came out hoarsely. His brain couldn’t compute what the shithead was saying; it was like the words and meaning were totally disconnected. “Both Yonko—what?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro looked annoyed. “Why are you acting like I wouldn’t have picked up on that?” He moved to stand up, and Chopper didn’t stop him, standing just as still and confused as Sanji was.</p>
<p>“I’m not <em>stupid</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami was outside with the others, steadfastly refusing to believe Zoro was <em>possessed</em>, honestly Robin was just probably trying to fuck with them, when the green-haired boy wonder came out of the infirmary, looking remarkably healthy for someone who’d had two heart attacks within twelve hours.</p>
<p>Then Chopper and Sanji ran after him, their faces pale and wide eyed, and everyone on the deck stopped, staring at the strange chase.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi! Mosshead!”</p>
<p>“Zoro!”</p>
<p>“What?!” Zoro snapped. “What’s your problem? I’m not just going to keel over—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Except you did,” muttered Nami, and Zoro glared at her now. “Twice.”</p>
<p>“Shut up, I’m <em>fine</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Say what you just said!” Chopper squeaked out, the words tumbling over each other in haste to get out.</p>
<p>“I—” Zoro paused. “That we’re going up against the Yonko? I don’t understand why that’s <em>news</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s good that he remembers <em>that</em>,” muttered Usopp. “Unless one of Kaido’s men is possessing him, and he’s been listening to all of our plans secretly, and our invasion won’t be a surprise at all, and they’ll be waiting for us—”</p>
<p>“Zoro’s possessed?!” shrieked Chopper, far too loudly, and Nami was seconds away from starting to throw punches, or at <em>least</em> find some strong alcohol. Maybe Zoro would want to get in on that with her. Assuming he wasn’t being secretly controlled by some enemy pirate group.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Demon possession, on the other hand, was a different story. Mostly because, while Nami didn’t really believe he was possessed by a demon, if any of them <em>were</em> to be the subject of demonic possession and not have anyone notice, it would probably be Zoro.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m—” Zoro looked thoroughly taken aback. “What?”</p>
<p>“That’s <em>our</em> line,” insisted Sanji, looking frazzled. “Yes, we’re going up against a Yonko, what about the <em>other fucking thing that just left your mouth</em>?!”</p>
<p>“Wha—”</p>
<p>“Which Yonko exactly do you think is my parent?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami blinked several times, wondering if she’d misheard something. Sanji had been under a lot of stress lately, although this was really—</p>
<p>“The woman one. Linlin, or whatever. Was that supposed to be a secret?”</p>
<p>…What?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” said Nami, and Usopp and Franky and Brook and Jimbe and Chopper, while Robin just quirked a single eyebrow and Sanji looked enormously vindicated but equally as confused.</p>
<p>“What?” repeated Zoro back, looking at them warily.</p>
<p>Nami felt a headache start to pound. “That’s not… that’s not true.” She said, glancing at the expressions on the others’ faces. They couldn’t ignore this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It’s—” Zoro frowned, uneasy. He was fidgeting with something in his waistband. “Uh—” And then <em>Zoro</em>, the same Zoro who literally laughed in the face of danger and was so monstrously fearless that sometimes Nami wondered if there <em>was</em> anything he was afraid of, turned around and walked quickly off the deck, looking harassed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not for the first time, and certainly not for the last, they all looked around at each other wordlessly and it was Usopp who stammered out “What?” for all of them.</p>
<p>“He also said,” Chopper’s eyes were strange and wide. “That we were here in Wano to fight Luffy’s dad? But I thought Luffy’s dad was a Revolutionary.”</p>
<p>“He is,” said Robin. “Although, considering his name is Dragon and Kaido possesses a dragon Devil’s Fruit, it could be a simple misunderstanding.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But,” Nami gestured vaguely at Sanji, not knowing how to finish her question. Sanji looked just as lost.</p>
<p>“I believe,” said Robin evenly. “That there may be even more to uncover here. If we wish to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If they wished to. At this point, Nami <em>needed</em> to, and considering their current theories were 1) demonic possession 2) extreme memory loss or 3) Zoro was a fucking moron, she felt it wasn’t just about satisfying their curiosity anymore. They were in <em>Wano</em>, they had openly gone up against two Yonko, and they were counting on Zoro to be there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Also, Nami was so curious it physically pained her. She <em>had</em> to know what was going on.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was not having a great day.</p>
<p>At first, this was because he had a heart attack, then there was sort of a blank stretch in his memory which probably wasn’t good, then it was because he apparently had another heart attack, and now it was because he was questioning everything he thought he understood.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He hated the way they all stared at him, and Zoro didn’t get <em>embarrassed</em>, definitely not, but his cheeks were hot and his brain was spinning, and he wasn’t sure if he could just sternly inform his heart that it’d better not fuck up again, but he was trying.</p>
<p>And it wasn’t like Zoro was <em>hiding</em> either, but he was trying to make himself a little scarce, except something was cooking even though it had to be well-past midnight at this point, and dammit it smelled good.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(This was probably a ploy to get him to come out. He was stronger than that.</p>
<p>His stomach growled.</p>
<p>Dammit.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro sighed and stood up, wandering out of whatever room on the ship he’d found himself in, following the scent of the food. It still took him far longer than he expected, but eventually he made his way into the kitchen where <em>oh for fuck’s sake</em>, literally everyone was sitting around the table, doing a bad job of pretending not to be waiting for him.</p>
<p>Even Luffy’s <em>boyfriend</em>.</p>
<p>“What,” said Zoro, preferring to at least get this intervention over with. “Is the deal?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A small consolation was that Luffy was sitting at the table too, the only one eating even with a table covered in food. He also was the only one at the table not acting cagey as hell.</p>
<p>No one answered him, which was just great. They couldn’t look him in the eye, they’d called some kind of stupid meeting, and they couldn’t even bother to be upfront about it? Zoro was very close to just turning around and leaving, but then Law sighed loudly, glowering at the others.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Roronoa-ya,” he said bluntly. “What’s my name?”</p>
<p>Was this some kind of trick question? “Uh…Law.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Some people around the table actually sighed in <em>relief</em> at that, which was just rude. Of course Zoro knew his own captain’s boyfriend’s name.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Great,” said Law, still as unenthusiastic as ever. “Why am I here?”</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t that be something you’re asking yourself?”</p>
<p>Law closed his eyes and Franky and Usopp both snickered quietly. “A valid point,” he said, teeth clenched. “But what do <em>you</em> think I’m doing here?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t sure if ‘fucking Luffy’ would go over very well, considering he didn’t actually know (or really want to know) the specifics of their relationship. So. “To defeat the Yonko, Kaido.”</p>
<p>“Great,” said Law again, looking waspishly over at the other half of the table. Zoro was wondering if he wasn’t the one having issues remembering things. “And Kaido is?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The big dragon,” said Zoro, steering away from any paternity issues. “Who’s in charge of all the other dragons.”</p>
<p>Law frowned suspiciously. “…Okay,” he said after a moment. If Zoro were paying closer attention, he would’ve seen Robin shift slightly and Brook cock his head to the side. “And by that you mean—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The army of samurai dragons,” said Zoro, getting progressively more frustrated. “The big dragon is eating everyone’s food so we’re working with the ninja rabbits to stop him.”</p>
<p>“Okay, no,” said Nami, standing up. “For starters, Kaido isn’t <em>actually</em> a dragon and he definitely doesn’t have an army of dragons. He’s a dragon zoan—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, does that mean the flamingo isn’t really a flamingo?” asked Zoro, remembering something else that had been bothering him.</p>
<p>He got blank stares. “Flamingo?” repeated Law. “You mean Doflamingo?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, your uncle or whatever.”</p>
<p>“He’s not—” Law paused, struggling with something. “Although—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stop,” The cook stood up, hands on the table. “Stop. This isn’t getting us anywhere. Out with it, marimo, what do you <em>think</em> you know about my family?”</p>
<p>Every part of Zoro was screaming <em>trap</em>, although he didn’t really know what the trap was supposed to be. He’d honestly learned the most about the cook in the past week than anyone else, unfortunately. He didn’t notice the suddenly tense faces of everyone sitting down, including Luffy.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh,” said Zoro. “Well, there’s the Yonko and there’s the guy made out of mochi who’s your brother and—”</p>
<p>“I am <em>not</em> part of the Charlotte family!”</p>
<p>Zoro was confused and also a little nonplussed. “If you’re not, then why does everyone get all freaked out about your family?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why was everyone <em>looking</em> at him like that?!</p>
<p>“Uh, because they’re actually these assassins—” started Usopp, looking over worriedly at the cook who looked sort of constipated.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, assassins? Sure.” Zoro rolled her eyes. He definitely would’ve heard if <em>assassins</em> were involved. “What, ‘cause you’re some big-shot with the Revolutionaries there were assassins or something?”</p>
<p>Zoro did not expect the frankly <em>bizarre</em> faces everyone was making, including the cook, who was gaping at him like he’d started speaking another language. “The Rev—I’m not a Revolutionary!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That would be pretty cool, though,” mused Franky, as if oblivious to everyone else’s tension. “I bet they have access to some <em>super</em> interesting weapons—”</p>
<p>“How hard did you hit your head?” asked Nami blankly, eyes narrowing, and Zoro didn’t really have a good answer for her except that he was sort of wishing for a heart attack right about now. Instead he very casually gripped the notebook in his waistband, wondering if he’d have a chance to skim through it very quickly—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh, Sanji’s a Revolutionary?” Luffy piped up, looking suddenly interested. “That’s so cool—”</p>
<p>“I am <em>not</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay, they were sort of distracted. Zoro slowly opened it up, trying to read through his messily written notes about what he <em>thought</em> was going on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“—Not making any sense! How could you possibly think that I was part of—what are you <em>reading</em>?!”</p>
<p>The notebook was ripped out of Zoro’s hands by an irate cook, who’s visible eye had narrowed to a slit. The others stared at it curiously now, too, Robin in particular looking like she was about to rip it out of the cook’s hands if he didn’t move fast enough. “What is <em>this</em>?”</p>
<p>“Uh,” said Zoro, starting to sweat profusely. “Nothing?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, it’s <em>not</em>—” Nami was fastest and took the notebook away from the cook. “This is your handwriting. Why are you taking notes on everyone?! What—why is there a heart next to Sanji and Usopp’s names?! And Law and Luff—”</p>
<p>Zoro wondered if he was having a stroke, as everyone crowded around what he thought was reputable information, except apparently none of it was? The kitchen felt uncomfortably warm as everyone’s voices steadily increased.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait, next to Robin and Franky too—”</p>
<p>“Whole Cake Island isn’t <em>actually</em> a cake, you know—”</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s what you’re focusing on?!”</p>
<p>“Explain,” said the cook through gritted teeth, a strange red tinting his ears. “What is—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait, you think I’m <em>dating</em> Straw—” Law’s face went purple and Luffy started giggling madly, clearly enjoying himself. “<em>What</em> don’t you people understand about the definition of an <em>alliance</em>—”</p>
<p>“<em>Is that what the heart means</em>?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Robin giggled. “That’s a very interesting interpretation,” she said, while Franky sputtered and went red. The cook and Usopp were looking at each other and twitching.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Okay,” said Nami, her voice that sugary calm that Zoro instantly knew meant trouble. “Okay. Zoro. What the fuck?”</p>
<p>“Seconded,” said Usopp,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro winced. “Uh….” He looked around helplessly. Luffy was still laughing, and Robin looked mostly amused, but everyone else was a rainbow of colors and mystified expressions. “Well, I woke up from that blast? And I was sort of confused about the wedding and not being invited and I still don’t really know why Nami had a gun or why Luffy didn’t want anyone getting married or if I wasn’t invited because you thought I’d be <em>judgmental</em>, but even though some people in the dojos were shitheads, Koushirou-sensei always said that people should be able to marry who they love—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Please stop,” said Nami, looking pained. The cook and Usopp were just staring in wide-eyed disbelief, and Zoro wasn’t really sure when his life had become such a disaster, but here he was. “No one is currently involved with anyone on this ship. Why are you so obsessed with that—wait, you thought <em>I</em> had the gun?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Me and <em>Sanji</em> getting <em>married</em>—”</p>
<p>“Is that why you asked what a homophone was?! That’s <em>homophobe</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But that’s what you said!” Zoro sputtered. “That’s what you <em>said</em>—what do you mean Franky and Robin aren’t doing it?! Do you <em>know</em> how often you talk about being <em>grabbed</em>—”</p>
<p>“If you finish that sentence, I’m going to kick you!” yelled the cook. “I don’t know how to make this any <em>clearer</em> to you, you absolute <em>moron</em>, but the wedding was <em>to</em> one of Big Mom’s daughters and <em>she</em> had the gun and <em>I was an unwilling participant</em>!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The others were falling strangely silent, staring at the cook uneasily, but Zoro was too confused to fully appreciate this apparent transparency. His head was pounding badly, brain desperately searching for something he could be sure of. Something he <em>knew</em> without a doubt. But now his whole week was spinning wildly out of control.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It also says <em>fire</em> Devil’s Fruit—”</p>
<p>The cook was running his hands through his hair, looking nearly as wildly confused as Zoro felt. “Fire—shit, <em>I</em> don’t have a shitty Devil’s Fruit!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ah,” said Robin, remarkably calm. Zoro was starting to notice this as a trend for her. “Is that why you went in the water after him?”</p>
<p>Zoro turned slightly red but managed to cough out an affirmative noise. Or something he thought was affirmative, anyway.</p>
<p>“And the blond chief-of-staff of the Revolutionary Army is our captain’s other older brother, Sabo,” continued Robin. “Not Sanji.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a beat as Zoro processed <em>other brother</em>, while the others seemed to mull that over. “There is some overlap,” said Usopp begrudgingly, faint embarrassment still on his cheeks for apparently <em>not</em> trying to marry the cook. “But Zoro, this is like, <em>critical </em>stuff—”</p>
<p>“The loss of memories does seem extreme,” contributed Brook thoughtfully.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro would agree with him, except it felt a little bit like gravity wasn’t working and he didn’t know <em>anything</em>, holy shit. Was he even sure of the <em>names</em> of the new crew members? Was he even sure everyone was who they said they were? It didn’t make any <em>sense</em>—</p>
<p>“Oh no, you need to take deeper breaths, your heart rate is spiking—” Chopper had appeared by his side at some point, fussing needlessly. Zoro knew better. This wasn’t physical, this was something else.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“May I ask,” said Robin, once again drawing the attention of everyone at the table. Even Luffy stopped his maddening laughter. “How old are you, swordsman-san?”</p>
<p>Zoro blinked. “Nineteen,” he said carefully, and he shouldn’t have been surprised at the goddam <em>disbelief</em> on everyone’s faces but, well, he was. “What now?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You aren’t nineteen,” said Usopp, also blinking. “<em>I’m</em> nineteen. You’re twenty-one.”</p>
<p>“I cannot believe this is a real conversation,” grunted Law, lips drawn in a tight line. “Are you saying, Nico-ya, that he’s missing <em>two years</em> of memories?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?!” gasped Zoro, nearly at the same time as Jimbe and Chopper and Franky. Zoro felt nauseous. “That’s not possible,” he said, stomach twisting. “I couldn’t have just <em>forgotten</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Dressrosa,” said the cook, looking at him carefully. Zoro didn’t know what that was, but he suddenly had the feeling that he was meant to. “Punk Hazard. Sabaody. Thriller Bark. Enies Lobby. Skypiea.”</p>
<p>Zoro’s lack of reaction was apparently a huge, terrifying cause for concern, with everyone staring at him doing a very bad job of disguising their horror, except then Luffy let out a giggle.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Zoro hasn’t <em>lost</em> the memories. He just hasn’t made them yet.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What?” asked Zoro and Nami and Usopp and the cook and Chopper and even Robin and Franky and Brook and Jimbe and Law, all in a varying range of confused and suspicious and (in Zoro’s case) hopeful.</p>
<p>“This Zoro didn’t go any of those places,” said Luffy patiently, like one might explain something to a child. “That’s why it’s time travel. He’s here, and other Zoro is there.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Time—”</p>
<p>“Other—”</p>
<p>“Travel?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was going to have another heart attack. It was inevitable at this point. “Time travel?” he managed to rasp out, above the sudden calamity of noise and chaos.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy nodded, apparently not noticing the incredulous expressions of everyone else. “Sure,” he said. “That’s what Zoro said when he came back. He said he time traveled, but then he had another heart attack, and then you came back.”</p>
<p>His captain had this tendency to say things in a really straightforward way while also completely brushing past any of the finer details, and normally Zoro was cool with that, except this was sort of important. “Time travel?” he repeated weakly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s what Zoro <em>said</em>,” said Luffy. “’Cause Zoro left and you’re here, but then Zoro came back for a bit, but then he left again.”</p>
<p>Zoro was pretty sure that didn’t make any sense, but the others were staring at both him and Luffy like they’d never seen either of them clearly before.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You mean it?” said Usopp finally. “Time travel?”</p>
<p>“Mhmm,” said Luffy. “Wouldn’t that be cool?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Time… Zoro pushed past the ‘completely impossible’ initial reaction and thought about it, allowed himself to consider—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It would explain the new crew members, and why they acted like they knew him.</p>
<p>It would explain why everyone <em>looked</em> different.</p>
<p>It would explain how so many things had occurred in such a short period of time—okay, Zoro probably should’ve figured this out sooner.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Then, when are you from?!” asked Chopper, eyes wide. “Where, no wait, <em>when</em>—”</p>
<p>“Yeah, what’s the last thing you remember?!” asked Franky, and they were all <em>staring</em>, but Zoro tried to think, put himself back…</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“On Alabasta,” he said, remembering the heat, remembering that crazy marine captain chasing them. And Luffy’s brother. “Helping Vivi beat up Crocodile.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(And in even more detail. Standing on Merry’s decks after running to the ship, realizing Luffy had fucking disappeared, the sun hot—</p>
<p><em>“He might be bit too much for you to handle,”</em> Two voices, one Zoro was very sure he’d never heard before. <em>“Please, continue to take good care of him!”</em></p>
<p>But Ace was dead.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alabasta?” the cook repeated, sounding almost strangled. “You’re from Alabasta?!”</p>
<p>“That was so long ago,” said Nami, a strange, soft expression taking over her face. “Oh, it would be so good to see Vivi again.”</p>
<p>“<em>That’s</em> why you were asking about Vivi!” Understanding flashed in Usopp’s eyes. “Wait, but like, not to be <em>obvious</em> but we all <em>look</em> a lot different now—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh,” said Zoro, because honestly, he’d sort of managed to ignore that in favor of every other bizarre thing going on, but it was pretty obvious now. He still felt lightheaded. <em>Time travel</em>. “Well I don’t know how long it takes for girl hair to grow—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Not four days,” said Nami, her nose twitching. She was still smiling, which was weird. “You’re from <em>Alabasta</em>, I can’t believe that—”</p>
<p>“So, then,” interjected Robin, and there was something softer about her face, too. “You were never properly introduced to five of the people sitting here. Or, our dear Sunny.”</p>
<p>There was another pause, but Zoro did manage to nod.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ZORO-BRO, WE HAVEN’T EVEN MET—”</p>
<p>“ZORO-SAN, IT IS AN HONOR, I AM HUMMING BROOK—"</p>
<p>“ZOOOOROOOO! THAT MEANS I JUST JOINED!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro was definitely not turning red, with Franky, Brook, and Chopper all wailing. Luffy was laughing again, and don’t think Zoro <em>wasn’t</em> going to bring up later how it <em>might’ve</em> been helpful to know he was apparently in the fucking future, Nami was smiling, the cook and Law were both shaking their heads, and Jimbe bowed his head slightly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It is, of course, wonderful to meet you.”</p>
<p>“Thanks,” managed Zoro, and he wasn’t red at <em>all</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can’t believe you didn’t say <em>anything</em>,” said Usopp. “You’re on a totally different ship, we’re fighting <em>Yonko</em>, there’s new crew members you never actually met.”</p>
<p>“I mean,” said Zoro, wincing a little bit. Yeah, okay, maybe he should’ve figured this out. But it wasn’t like he wasn’t <em>trying</em>. “Things always sort of move fast with this moron?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He gestured at Luffy, who let out another cackle. “That’s ‘cause Zoro knows I’d only have really cool nakama anyway!” he said cheerfully, and Zoro got the feeling that there was an undercurrent of some strange affection in the room, and he couldn’t really put his finger on it, but there was something <em>soft</em> in everyone’s faces and it wasn’t pity and it wasn’t confusion it was closer to—</p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p>Zoro’s face was definitely red now. There wasn’t any denying it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Time travel is much better than demon possession,” said Nami, giggling a little, and Zoro was going to unpack <em>that</em> later. “You’re so dumb. It should be a rule that if you appear on a strange ship with a bunch of weirdos,” She pointedly looked over at Franky and Brook. “You should just <em>ask</em> and not assume everyone is fucking each other.”</p>
<p>“Oi, Nami—”</p>
<p>“<em>Nami-san</em>—”</p>
<p>But then she laughed, and then she <em>ruffled his hair</em>, and was Zoro sure this was Nami? She was acting way too nice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, that’s why you haven’t been fighting with Enma,” Law mused, eyeing the sword at Zoro’s hip. “A smart decision. You don’t know what Haki is, then?”</p>
<p>“Some kind of weird sex thing—”</p>
<p>“It’s NOT!” The cook and Usopp yelled, in weird, red-faced unison, and then it wasn’t just Luffy laughing but everyone, Franky’s booming and echoing, Robin’s quieter and dainty, and even Law, who Zoro didn’t think was capable of something as mundane as laughing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“But Luffy,” it was Jimbe’s quiet rumble that broke the laughter. “You said that, ah, the other Zoro came back briefly? Earlier today, you mean? Then that means that the Zoro of this time has traveled <em>back</em> in time, whereas you traveled forward?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro didn’t really know what Jimbe was getting at, but Robin’s eyes narrowed sharply. “As in, not a simple case of linear time travel, but rather…switching places.”</p>
<p>“Switching—”</p>
<p>“—places?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, you’re here,” said Nami slowly. “But the Zoro from <em>this</em> time went to…Alabasta?!”</p>
<p>“This is too confusing.”</p>
<p>It didn’t really matter to Zoro. The others looked concerned, and Zoro imagined he was supposed to be concerned too, but this was the calmest he’d felt all week. There was an answer. There was an <em>explanation</em>. And it somehow made <em>sense</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You seem relieved,” said Robin, and Zoro was sure he was still red, but it almost didn’t matter anymore. There was an <em>explanation</em>.</p>
<p>“It’s, uh, been kind of a stressful week.”</p>
<p>That was putting it lightly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It is so moving that you accepted all of us as nakama without knowing us first!” Brook struck a pose, somewhere between heartfelt and dramatic. “It warms my heart! Although, I do not have a heart <em>yohohoho</em>!”</p>
<p>“He’s right, though,” said Usopp. “Did we <em>ever</em> get a say in who Luffy asked on board?!”</p>
<p>“Definitely not,” said Nami, sounding strangely fond and tired as Brook and Franky and Chopper all got in Zoro’s face, talking over each other.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oi,” said the cook. “Did you not notice that you have one less eye now? I mean, I knew you were <em>slow</em>, but—”</p>
<p>“That’s why you asked me about your eye!” shrieked Chopper, while Law was shaking his head and muttering something that sounded like <em>morons</em> under his breath.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And there would be more to unpack later. More that everyone would realize was something someone had said, more room to laugh at bemoan certain misunderstandings. But now, just relief, strange and sitting thickly in Zoro’s chest. He’d better not have another heart attack.</p>
<p>Except.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait, those bounties are <em>real</em>?!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>a few notes!</p>
<p>1) final chap count has changed! it won't actually change the material that's left, just spaced out a little better. also, as many of you noticed, there's far too much left for 1.5 chapters so here is your ~official~ sequel announcement! read into that what you will :) </p>
<p>2) question to the crowd, how many wano spoilers are actually in this fic? trying to debate tagging it but I feel like everything in wano is kept pretty vague because of mr. dumbass swordsman, but also I might not be the best judge. just curious!</p>
<p>3) up next: everything has consequences</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They were different, Luffy and Nami and Usopp and the cook and Chopper. Not different in the important ways, at least that he could tell, but their laughs all fell on the same frequencies, their physical bodies close but their souls even closer, singing the same song that Zoro heard the instant a boy made out of rubber untied him from his death—</p>
<p>Louder still, when he bled his vow to his captain, an uneven scar across his heart—</p>
<p>Even louder, as the girl who stole their ship pleaded to be saved, and Zoro felt for the first time that he was part of something, that he had a place where he belonged—</p>
<p>But those places had been switched, and Zoro couldn’t help but grieve that loss.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so, this is the final chapter before the epilogue and sequel! more on that at the end, but I just want to thank you guys for being so supportive and sending so many kind words and giving me ideas! this has been a wild ride :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>SABAODY</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Time travel?” repeated Ace, voice thick with disbelief. “<em>Time</em> travel?”</p>
<p>Zoro was tired, still aching from Kuma and Kizaru and the electric rush of adrenaline had finally faded, leaving him with some pain that didn’t belong to him and some that did in a body that still didn’t feel quite right. But he managed to nod. “Time travel.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That’s…”</p>
<p>There were a number of words that might’ve followed. Zoro wasn’t really in the mood to hear any of them. Luffy had finally collapsed, seizing and trembling uncontrollably, something about <em>hormone</em> treatments and Magellan and Zoro both wanted to know what had happened and didn’t at the same time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Always, now. Sitting in the back of his mind. He used to pride himself on not obsessing over ‘what-if’s’ but it was almost all he could think about, filling his brain with them, piled on top of each other. Someone else would’ve done it better. Someone like Robin could’ve time traveled and done so much good, saved lives and made real change—</p>
<p><em>But look at the life in front of you</em>, Zoro tried to remind himself. <em>Look.</em></p>
<p>Because Portgas D. Ace was alive. There was no hole in his chest. No ruined corpse. And they didn’t know, not yet, what the rest of Marineford looked like. If Whitebeard would live or die, or if Blackbeard would obtain his Fruit—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro squeezed his eyes shut. Chopper was looking after Luffy, now. And, despite the impossibility of it, despite it not making <em>any</em> sense…</p>
<p>So was Trafalgar Law, spotted hat and all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, what happened? The…the first time?” asked Ace uneasily, but with the same kind of intense curiosity that the others had too.</p>
<p>“You died,” said Zoro bluntly, even as the rest of his crewmates winced and he could hear Usopp mutter something about <em>“tact”</em> under his breath, but Zoro really wasn’t very concerned with being tactful.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I—”</p>
<p>“I’m going to see how they’re doing,” said Zoro, standing up and moving towards the med bay. They’d only just gotten back to Sabaody and Sunny, and they’d have to start moving again soon, but <em>where</em>, Zoro had no idea. It was all up in the air now, all an enormous question mark. And they still didn’t know what happened at the end of the war, which probably had Ace in a massive panic, but Zoro couldn’t really bring himself to care.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not when…</p>
<p>Luffy and the cook were unconscious, hooked up to wires and machines that breathed for them. Chopper had been working tirelessly but was finally napping when Zoro made his way in, and he was instead met with one Trafalgar Law, who blinked at him owlishly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro wasn’t exactly sure how Law had still ended up traveling back to Sabaody with them, but maybe that just meant some things really were fated. “Yo.”</p>
<p>“Have we met, Roronoa Zoro?” asked Law, his arms folded in the shadowy stillness. The machines beeped. “Beyond our meeting a few days ago, I mean.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro. “I’m actually from the future. Time travel’s a crapshoot.”</p>
<p>Law blinked, and Zoro would’ve found this enormously more satisfying if he wasn’t—oh, dammit, he was <em>worried</em> about the stupid—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Time…travel?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” said Zoro again. “It’s this whole thing. Two years from now, you’re going to recruit Luffy to one of your little schemes involving a certain pink-feathered bastard and his deck of idiots—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Wait—”</p>
<p>“Except you couldn’t be bothered to be <em>upfront</em> about everything, but then Luffy saves your ass anyway and gets Dressrosa back—” Okay, maybe Zoro was enjoying himself a little bit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You—” Law made a strangled noise. “Wait, <em>what</em>—”</p>
<p>“Time travel, Trao.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“That is <em>not</em>—” But, in true Law fashion, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “A Devil’s Fruit ability?”</p>
<p>Maybe they just weren’t going to touch the whole Doflamingo thing at all. “Dunno how it happened. Just did. My past-self and I switched places.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Switched</em>—”</p>
<p>“Yeah. It’s been interesting.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were quiet, as Zoro watched the breathing machines flicker. White bandages wrapped around both of them, and even though Zoro <em>knew</em> it was better than the first time—</p>
<p>What if that didn’t matter?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Strawhats help to defeat Doflamingo,” said Law, musing it over. “I never really considered myself the type to get involved with an alliance.”</p>
<p>“Mhm,” said Zoro, which was about all he could manage without snorting. “Yeah, Luffy’s great at alliances. We’re all taking on Kaido in Wano right now.”</p>
<p>“<em>What</em>—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Things had reached some sort of normal, or as normal as things ever got, and Usopp allowed himself to breathe a little for the first time in…</p>
<p>He didn’t really want to think about that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Marineford had been one enormous blur, and he could hardly remember anything that followed after he started speaking into the Transponder Snail broadcast to the <em>entire world</em>. And he’d told the entire world the Buggy the Clown was the father of Portgas D. Ace.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>How</em> did you come up with that?” asked Nami, shaking her head. “It’s ridiculous. And I can’t <em>believe</em> how many people bought it!”</p>
<p>“Well, I thought about how everyone reacted when Zoro was talking about Luffy’s parents on Water 7—”</p>
<p>“That moron,” said Nami affectionately. “You’re the greatest liar I know, Usopp.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And if <em>that</em> wasn’t some strange but wonderful praise. He knew the relative peace they found themselves in wouldn’t last, mostly because their resident time-traveler was moping around even more than usual, but he figured they’d at least have a night to catch their breathes.</p>
<p>Why did Usopp do this to himself?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ship creaked. Nami frowned, glancing across the deck. It shifted again, as though the anchor were being pulled up—<em>holy shit</em>, the anchor was being pulled up. Some phantom force, dragging it upwards and <em>furling</em> the sails, and Usopp’s eyes widened and Nami was already running across the ship, shouting.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Straw Hats!” A voice shouted from below, one that Usopp didn’t recognize. “Are you setting sail?”</p>
<p>“Who is that?!” called out Franky, who’d appeared out of nowhere and was staring dumbstruck at the unfolding sail.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Jimbe,” said Robin suddenly. “The Knight of the Sea!”</p>
<p>“The <em>Shichibukai</em>—”</p>
<p>Usopp didn’t know where the hell <em>he’d</em> come from, but the ship was a flurry of activity, some visible and some not, so Usopp leaned over and saw a blue fishman standing awkwardly on the grass. “You’re Jimbe?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jimbe: Shichibukai and future crew member. “I am!” he said. “I wanted to speak with Straw Hat Luffy, but if you were setting sail—”</p>
<p>They weren’t setting sail, but it seemed like Sunny had other ideas for them, as Nami shrieked out some more orders and Brook ran zigzag laps along the deck. He vaguely heard Zoro shout something, which probably should’ve worried Usopp, but he was too stressed out to be worried about this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Just come on board!”</p>
<p>“Pardon?”</p>
<p>Usopp waved his hands. “I’m sure Luffy’ll want to talk to you, too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jimbe bowed his head, polite guy really, and managed his way onto the deck, despite the fact that the ship was currently trying to set sail. Although, as soon as Jimbe <em>touched</em> the deck, Sunny’s attempts became more obvious, and Nami’s yells grew alongside it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Er, where exactly are you setting sail towards?”</p>
<p>“Good question,” said Usopp. “I think the ship’s deciding for us. That’s our navigator, the one running around.”</p>
<p>“I see,” said Jimbe, who plainly did not see. “If I could be of any assistance, I am considered a decent helmsman—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ship lurched forward, propelled by wind and… and something else. Usopp couldn’t put his finger on it, except that it was a familiar feeling. He really should be more worried, but it was like all of his capacity for worrying had just leaked out of him after breaking in and out of <em>Marineford</em>, and now their ship was taking them…somewhere.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I don’t think anyone’s steering,” said Usopp. “Luffy is still recovering, but hopefully he’ll be waking up soon.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, did you say that no one is steering?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“ZORO!” yelled Nami, face red bordering on purple. “<em>What</em> is going on?!”</p>
<p>“You expect me to know?!”</p>
<p>“YEAH, I DO!”</p>
<p>“Zoro’s a time traveler,” said Usopp, by way of explanation. “So, normally he’s the one to ask if spooky stuff like this is going on. But he’s not very good at time traveling—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He’s a what—”</p>
<p>“USOPP, WHAT—” But then Zoro stopped, finally noticing who Usopp was talking to. “Wait, <em>Jimbe</em>?!”</p>
<p>“Pirate Hunter,” said Jimbe warily, which was pretty understandable, in Usopp’s opinion. Zoro looked sort of deranged. Maybe he was wishing he <em>hadn’t</em> made it onto the ship.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“What’re you—” Zoro sounded pained. “You’re not—oh, I give <em>up</em>!”</p>
<p>“YOU CAN’T GIVE UP!” yelled Nami. “WHERE IS THE SHIP GOING?!”</p>
<p>“I DON’T KNOW!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Shishishi, everyone’s shouting! Are we going somewhere new?”</p>
<p>The familiar laugh, even if it was smaller and more tired than Usopp liked to hear, made everyone stop in their tracks. Except, well, the ship. Sunny kept barreling forward. “Luffy!” Chopper shot forward from nowhere. “You shouldn’t be walking around!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Eh? But we’re going somewhere!”</p>
<p>“That’s not the point!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then there was a shadow emerging from him, heavily bandaged and grimacing, but Sanji was <em>standing</em>, and it didn’t matter that their ship was sailing without anyone’s permission or that they’d all nearly died or that Zoro was from the future—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sanji!” Chopper exclaimed. “Not you too! You should both be <em>resting</em>—”</p>
<p>“I’ve rested plenty,” said Sanji, and he sounded a lot better than Usopp thought he would, considering the enormous burn that made up his entire torso. “I heard a maiden in distress, and I couldn’t bear being still—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Okay, he would be fine. “Sunny just started sailing,” said Usopp. “We’re not really sure what’s going on there.”</p>
<p>“There’s nothing wrong with Sunny!” called out Franky, which Usopp did believe. He also believed that there were absolutely somethings that couldn’t be explained, as he stared at the face of a time traveler who looked like he was trying a little too hard not to vault over the deck and either hug Luffy and Sanji or maybe kill them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Buggy the Clown, huh?” said Sanji, and he reached into his pocket for a cigarette that wasn’t there. “That was a fucking riot.”</p>
<p>Usopp chuckled lightly, only sweating a little bit. “Sengoku didn’t sound very happy about it. You sold it really well, though,” he added, as Ace came around the corner, drawn like a magnet towards his brother. “It was really believable.”</p>
<p>“You’ve got some imagination,” said Ace, who’d somehow taken the news of his death in an alternate timeline surprisingly well. “I only met the guy once—he was kind of weird. Where’re we sailing to?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Does it even matter?” asked Nami bitterly, storm clouds gathering above her head. “Not like anyone’s actually <em>steering</em>.”</p>
<p>“No one’s steering?!”</p>
<p>“Then where are we going?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Straw Hat Luffy,” said Jimbe, who was really just doing a remarkable job of ignoring the self-steering ship. “I wanted to have the chance to talk with you—”</p>
<p>“Jimbe!” Ace blurted out, noticing him for the first time. “When’d you make it on board?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I give up,” said Zoro again. “I give <em>up</em>—”</p>
<p>“You know Ace?!” said Luffy excitedly towards Jimbe. “Ace is my brother! And that’s Usopp, my liar, and Zoro, my time-traveling swordsman—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ordinarily Usopp might’ve bristled, except second to shooting down the World Government flag (really, <em>what</em> about Luffy’s presence made him want to commit treason so badly?), his most notorious act to date was telling an enormous, dramatic lie in front of the entire world. And apparently it was convincing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Stop</em> it—”</p>
<p>“Yo, Zoro-bro, you <em>sure</em> you don’t know what’s going on?!”</p>
<p>“Yohohoho! This is quite a mystery!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Is your ship always like this?” asked Ace, to no one in particular, and the weird, shadowy other doctor who was maybe also one of those Supernovas looked like he’d taken a bite of something unpleasantly bitter.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Usopp wasn’t really sure what he was doing there, or what any of them were doing honestly, or why their ship was moving or where they were going—he wasn’t sure what was up next, because he wasn’t a time traveler, but it didn’t look like Zoro did either.</p>
<p>That should have scared him. It did scare him, but he was still riding the high of his lie and it felt like the entire world was open ahead of them; a wide blue sky and a thousand different possibilities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>WANO</strong>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>“So,” Zoro’s head hurt. “I still don’t understand why you had to actually <em>make</em> a wedding cake.”</p>
<p>“I don’t understand why you’re fixating on that, of all the things that you’ve asked,” said Nami, rolling her eyes. “You didn’t even blink when Chopper talked about going up <em>into the sky</em>—”</p>
<p>Zoro had already forgotten about that, but in his defense, it had not been his idea to get filled in on over two year’s worth of adventures that were in some ways even stranger and more chaotic than anything he could’ve come up with.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luffy had another brother—Sabo was his name, and apparently they’d met, making Zoro the only one to meet both of Luffy’s brothers. He felt a little bad about that. Some kind of tournament, which had been put on by the person with the flamingo’s Devil Fruit, who was not in fact related to the perpetually sour-faced Law. Robin had giggled at that particular revelation though, so Zoro thought he still might have been onto something.</p>
<p>The tournament involved said Fire Devil Fruit (Ace’s fruit) (because Ace was dead) (everyone was very carefully avoiding that subject), and the tournament <em>also</em> somehow turned everyone into a bunch of toys, but if you became a toy you…forgot your memories? Something along those lines; Zoro was trying to take it all in, as they bounced between islands in the sky and weddings and an island that burned fire and ice at the same time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He might’ve enjoyed it more, might’ve leaned back and drank his beer and just took it all in, if he wasn’t also <em>distinctly </em>aware that they were here to do a job that Zoro, as he was now, was unable to do. One the one hand, he’d gotten stronger in the past two years. Much stronger.</p>
<p>On the other hand, he wasn’t that person now, and he could feel it as an undercharge as the sky grew darker and darker on the island called Wano that was <em>not</em> run by Luffy’s dad but a beast of a man called Kaido who could apparently turn into a dragon or some bullshit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then, there was the crew. His crew.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were <em>different</em>, Luffy and Nami and Usopp and the cook and Chopper. Not different in the important ways, at least that he could tell, but their laughs all fell on the same frequencies, their physical bodies close but their souls even closer, singing the same song that Zoro heard the instant a boy made out of rubber untied him from his death—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Louder still, when he bled his vow to his captain, an uneven scar across his heart—</p>
<p>Even louder, as the girl who stole their ship pleaded to be saved, and Zoro felt for the first time that he was part of something, that he had a place where he belonged—</p>
<p>But those places had been switched, and Zoro couldn’t help but grieve that loss.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were all being nice to him, now. More patient and understanding, the edges of their confusion and disbelief and discontent smoothed into something more amiable, filtered through nostalgia for old adventures that he had and hadn’t been on.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They missed <em>their</em> Zoro, and the thought was deeply uncomfortable, because Zoro wasn’t sure what the hell he was supposed to do with that. Even if he did get stronger, he would never be the one to stand proudly beside his crew and watch as Usopp set the World Government’s flag on <em>fire</em>—</p>
<p>(His first thought was that Usopp had made that one up. But then, seeing everyone else lean into it and smile those stupid nostalgic smiles, he realized he knew less about the people he’d come to call his family than he thought.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It was a little easier with Robin and Franky and Brook and Jimbe. They knew the other Zoro, of course, but he didn’t know <em>them</em>. He didn’t have to fight to compare two versions of the same person in his head, could bow and introduce himself and watch Robin’s small laugh and Franky’s booming acquiescence and Brook’s exaggerated bow and Jimbe’s actual introduction back, making Zoro continue to wonder how they’d convinced this apparently normal fishman to join their insane crew.</p>
<p>(Jimbe had to have some weirdness <em>somewhere</em>. Zoro refused to believe otherwise. He would just have to find it.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I guess the real question is how the fuck this even happened,” said the cook, lighting a cigarette and looking more and less at ease than Zoro had seen the whole week. Whatever strange anxiety still remained; it was being held somewhere else. “Like, if you get injured again, are you going to switch back <em>again</em>? Like forever?”</p>
<p>Zoro shrugged. He didn’t remember any of this supposed switching at all; just dreams filled with fire and smoke and pulses of liquid gold lightning and pain. He didn’t think that was particularly important, though.</p>
<p>“These things don’t just <em>happen</em>,” said Usopp, half-exasperated. “There’s got to be a Devil Fruit involved somehow. <em>Somehow</em>. What were you doing the day this happ—oh, right, you wouldn’t remember. Whoops. Nami—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nami and Law were putting together in pieces what had happened the night he apparently switched consciousness with his future (past?) self, and Zoro sighed and took another sip. Even if he trained to the heights he had reached, he’d just be using what was in essence someone’s else’s muscles to achieve something he’d never (already?) achieve. And he still wouldn’t be the same.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It took him a second to realize that Luffy was playing with his earrings, like a distracted cat. He seemed incredibly uninterested in all of this—</p>
<p><em>“Zoro is Zoro,” he’d said, rolling his eyes when the others demanded to know why he hadn’t said anything earlier</em>.</p>
<p>At least he had Luffy, whether Zoro deserved him or not.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“No, I don’t remember who attacked,” said Nami, sounding increasingly frustrated. “If I <em>remembered</em> then I would’ve said something already! Also, we were a little busy trying to, oh I don’t know, escape!”</p>
<p>The person who’d attacked? Zoro didn’t think he was in any place to contribute, not as his own dreams (memories?) were blurry and hard to understand. The strongest, clearest memory he had was standing on the decks of Merry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sun uncomfortably warm. The boat rocking underneath them.</p>
<p>
  <em>“He might be a bit too much for you to handle—”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“—please, continue to take good care of him</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Floating somewhere between standing on Merry and waking up on Sunny, there was a man who’s face Zoro didn’t know, but he was afraid of him, and yet the fear didn’t belong to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“He had a bible,” said Zoro, the words coming out of his mouth without any prompting. A dozen eyes stared back at him, suddenly quiet and sharp.</p>
<p>“What?” asked the cook carefully, very carefully, and this was more than the strange gentleness from before. If Zoro knew any better, he might say the cook himself was afraid. “He had—”</p>
<p>“A bible,” said Zoro, and although the image was blurry, the detached fear was real. Fire, Ace, Fire, Sabo, <em>It hasn’t been completed yet</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If you could take a vacation,” said Zoro, the words spilling out so quickly that even Luffy jumped up, and something was wrong, he could feel it in the air—how fast everything could go to shit, Zoro didn’t need to be from the future to know <em>that</em>—someone yelled something but Zoro couldn’t have stopped if he tried.</p>
<p>“Where—” A rubber band pulled, stretched so tightly across space and time that any disturbance would choke it, a bolt of lightning or a fall or taking the pain meant to belong to another—</p>
<p>“Would you like to go?” The band snapped.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>SABAODY</strong>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Their ship was sailing away from them, Zoro didn’t know what was coming up or who’d won the war or what good he’d done except for the beating heart of the man in front of him, and he could take that. He could make peace with that. A saved life, and maybe a scarred cook was the price to pay.</p>
<p>Then he felt his chest stretch painfully, so quickly he let out a small gasp. Warning signs flared up in his eyes—it felt like pull he’d felt when he’d briefly returned to Wano, except instead of backwards it was forwards, and instead of the voice that had rumbled out to him then—</p>
<p>
  <em>It hasn’t been completed yet.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A different voice, far more familiar. “If you could take a vacation,” said Zoro’s own voice in his head, miles and years away, and Zoro suddenly flared with panic and relief all rolled into one. He only wished he had the chance to say goodbye.</p>
<p>But he would be seeing them again soon…wouldn’t he?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Where would you like to go?” asked Zoro, age nineteen, and Zoro age twenty-one squeezed his eyes shut, braced himself for impact, and thought, with a desperation and regret he couldn’t quite put into words, “Home.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On a battlefield in front of the world, a man stood proud, proclaiming to the world that its greatest treasure was real. <em>His fruit died with him.</em></p>
<p>On a ship called Thriller Bark, a woman glanced down at the memento she’d kept with her ever since leaving home. <em>The vivre card remained whole and undivided.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>On that same ship, an unnatural corpse rotted from where he’d been so carelessly slain. </em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>A cracked spine.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A single sentence, delivered at the end of battle.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>On a ship called Thousand Sunny, <em>two brothers stood side by side: alive, alive, alive, alive.</em></p>
<p>On an island called Baltigo, a young man ate his breakfast and read the newspaper, scanning the front cover first as he always did for anything important, and <em>nothing happened. </em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Up next: an epilogue (or, what are we supposed to do now?) </p>
<p>I'm so grateful for all your kind words, and I can't wait to hear what you thought! The epilogue should clear some things up if anyone is still confused. I do plan on writing a sequel, although it's going to take a while because 1) long and 2) grad school, SO:</p>
<p>In the meantime, I'll be posting short oneshots in the same universe, and would love any prompts you have to share! For example, What was Robin thinking during Alabasta? What was Law thinking on Sabaody? What was Buggy thinking during Marineford-- you get the idea. </p>
<p>Thank you again, and see you for the epilogue!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>All for nothing, Zoro thought, except he forgot that if he had been returned to Wano, back in his twenty-one-year-old body, back where he was meant to be, that it might all have been nothing for him—</p>
<p>But it certainly wasn’t nothing for the person he’d switched places with.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zoro woke up.</p>
<p>It took him a second to find his bearing, to reconcile the sharp and painful squeeze of what had to be time travel (see, he was learning!) with the throbbing pain in his head, making everything seem lighter around the edges and funny. He couldn’t see—</p>
<p>One eye, right. Different ways of looking at things.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“—<em>Zoro</em>—”</p>
<p>“<em>Oi, Zoro</em>—”</p>
<p>Zoro sighed. He knew he couldn’t <em>ignore</em> the voices calling out to him, but he was so goddam tired and time travel was really taking a lot out of him. “Hm?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So you <em>can</em> hear us?” Zoro was going to open his eye and see the cook standing in front of him, and he would look exactly like he was supposed to, no massive burn in his chest. He was going to—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s eye shot open. There was the cook, standing in front of him, cigarette and scowl trying to mask any concern, and there was no scar underneath his buttoned shirt. But Luffy—who swung towards him with a welcoming laugh, Luffy did have a scar. The same scar Zoro just spent months trying to make sure would never happen.</p>
<p>But—</p>
<p>“Zoro’s back!” cheered Luffy, and this time the ripple of reactions made Zoro realize that whatever had happened, if Luffy had told or his dumbass younger self had finally put everything together, everyone knew. Well, at least he didn’t have to <em>explain</em> himself again.</p>
<p>But—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you going to make a habit of this?” complained Nami, which almost distracted Zoro from the deep realization he was finally making, finally putting the pieces together, and even though he didn’t know for sure that he wouldn’t suddenly get yanked back in time again, he felt somehow that this time it was permanent.</p>
<p>“It’s not on purpose, you know,” Zoro said, his voice slightly hoarse. He felt a little sore, like he had slept for too long and hadn’t stretched or trained in a few days. A very different feeling than after Marineford. The thoughts swarmed and buzzed in his head.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Isn’t it?” Nami was smiling, actually smiling, in a weird and nostalgic way that Zoro wasn’t sure what to make of. “You know, I was just starting to like you again—”</p>
<p>“Oi—” But everyone was laughing, and as Zoro took stock of his surroundings, it seemed that they’d all gathered together—even <em>Law</em>—drinking and hanging around. Weren’t they supposed to be back on Wano, like, yesterday?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Someone would eventually explain it to them. And anyway, Zoro didn’t much feel like bringing up the nugget of truth: it had all been for nothing. All of it, the months he’d spent desperately weighing if he should try to change something here or let things go as they come, it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter because nothing <em>had</em> changed, and even though he was back with people he cared about more than anyone else in the world, he’d never felt like more of a stranger.</p>
<p>And he couldn’t even tell them, could he? ‘Oh, and by the way, this time we actually all stormed Marineford together and Ace <em>didn’t</em> die but you’ll never know—’ His chest ached even as he thought it, and he cursed sometimes that his proudest and weakest moments alike were always made in silence.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, you <em>really</em> went back to Alabasta?” asked Chopper, leaning forward excited and curious, and Zoro would rather do anything than give a detailed debrief of what he’d been up to—</p>
<p>(Since it had been for <em>nothing</em>)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But he could try. “Yeah. It was <em>hot</em>.”</p>
<p>“Seriously? That’s it?!”</p>
<p>“What else am I supposed to say?!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>All for nothing.</p>
<p>(Except, he’d gotten stronger, hadn’t he? He’d spent months refining Haki, time spent teaching Luffy, even if that didn’t matter. He’d fought on more battlefields, forced himself to be <em>strategic</em> and patient and listen to the others and form something almost skin to a <em>plan</em>.)</p>
<p>So, he rolled his eye again at their warm-hearted laughter, and he wouldn’t ruin this for them. Not if, when it actually mattered, he’d come back stronger and more determined than ever.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>All for nothing</em>, Zoro thought, except he forgot that if <em>he</em> had been returned to Wano, back in his twenty-one-year-old body, back where he was meant to be, that it might all have been nothing for him—</p>
<p>But it certainly wasn’t nothing for the person he’d switched places with.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>--</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro woke up, his head spinning and throat dry. The words that had eerily played in his head were already fading away out of reach, like some haunted recording that didn’t make any sense. He was on a ship—it was still Sunny, so had he actually gone anywhere at all?</p>
<p>He opened his eyes—two of them—and saw several concerned faces peering down at him, familiar and unfamiliar, half of them almost like—</p>
<p>He’d done it. The realization nearly bowled him over, but he’d <em>done</em> it, he’d traveled back to his own time, where everything wouldn’t be so <em>weird</em>—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Except, they weren’t in Alabasta anymore, were they?</p>
<p>“Oi, you alive, marimo?” Zoro shielded his eyes against the son, the cook staring over him, chest wrapped in bandages. Bandages?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The ship stopped moving—”</p>
<p>“I don’t understand—”</p>
<p>“Excuse me, Mugiwara, I don’t believe we’ve met—”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Zoro’s head felt fuzzy. “Better shape than you,” said Zoro, the answer automatic. He winced, his chest aching for a reason he couldn’t place. “What the hell happened to you?”</p>
<p>“What—” But then the cook frowned, looking at him more shrewdly than Zoro expected. “You’re not you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m not who?”</p>
<p>“You’ve switched back, haven’t you.”</p>
<p>Zoro had no idea where he was pulling that from, but it was the truth anyway, and Zoro gave a half shrug as if to say, ‘yeah, what about it?’</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had only been a few days, hadn’t it?</p>
<p><em>“Dressrosa,” </em>the cook had said, the other cook, hair framed on the other half of his face and afraid of his family. He’d looked at him with such a funny look, and Zoro remembered the night they’d gotten drunk and the cook had said more than he meant to.</p>
<p>How much could he have missed?</p>
<p>
  <em>“Punk Hazard. Sabaody. Thriller Bark. Enies Lobby. Skypiea.” </em>
</p>
<p>The universe had to be having a laugh, then, as the sun shined hot and Sunny rocked below his feet. He had no idea.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ahhhh! I can't believe we've made it!! This has been such a wonderful, fun ride and I've loved hearing from you guys and chatting with you so much, it's really just encouraged me to keep going and turn this into something even bigger than I imagined :)</p>
<p>If you've been reading but haven't had the chance to comment, please say hello! Or, ask for a prompt set in this universe that I can work on in between getting the sequel ready :) </p>
<p>I *think* that every change to timeline 2.0 (as I'm calling it) that I hinted at have been figured out by someone, though not just in the comments from last chapter. If you noticed any other changes unwittingly made...well, you know where to find me!</p>
<p>Seriously though, I can't thank you guys enough. Pandemic grad school has been hard as shit, but this has been such a wonderful place to come back to (almost) every week, and I can't wait to see what comes next! </p>
<p>-fireflywitch</p>
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